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www.fdanews.com/articles/61522-u-s-drugmaker-to-increase-availability-of-generic-hiv-drug

U.S. DRUGMAKER TO INCREASE AVAILABILITY OF GENERIC HIV DRUG

August 8, 2006

California-based Gilead Sciences has offered to help 10 Indian drugmakers produce generic versions of its HIV drug Truvada for sale in developing countries.

The company has already drastically lowered the price for the drug, which is a combination of Viread and another drug. The drug is sold in Africa for 87 cents a day, compared with $24.51 in the United States. The company's latest move is to offer instructions on making its drug to generics firms in India. That is a step beyond simply agreeing not to defend patents on Truvada.

About 38.6 million people worldwide have HIV, and 83 percent of patients in need of treatment are not getting drugs in Africa, where 24.5 million people are infected with HIV, according to the United Nations AIDS program. Other drugmakers, including Bristol-Myers Squibb and Roche, are said to be negotiating similar deals.