Gilead Sciences inks pact with 3 cos for emtricitabine

Gilead Sciences Friday said it has signed agreements with three Indian companies to team up and work towards promoting access to low-cost generic versions of its HIV medicine emtricitabine in the developing countries.

Gilead sells emtricitabine under the brand name Emtriva. California-based drug maker has signed deals with Indian companies namely Strides Arcolab, Ranbaxy, and Mylan Laboratories.

As per the agreement, Gilead will provide technology and funding to assist and reduce the overall manufacturing costs, said the company statement.

The collaboration will help the Indian companies to manufacture high volumes of emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-based HIV medicines. This will also help in establishing sustainable price parity to these alternative regimens.

 Gilead’s Chairman and CEO John C Martin said, “Ongoing collaboration with Indian companies will be critical for furthering access to affordable, high-quality, first-line HIV treatment for developing countries.” Mr. Martin also said, “More than 2.7 million patients living with HIV in developing countries are currently receiving a TDF-containing regimen, a medicine innovated by Gilead and subsequently licensed to Indian generic partners to increase global access to the effective treatment, he said.

Arun Sawhney, CEO and Managing Director of Ranbaxy Laboratories said, “This association with Gilead will enable us to offer quality affordable medicines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS in the developing countries.”

Gilead Sciences is an American biotechnology company that discovers, develops, and commercializes therapeutics. The company focuses mainly on antiviral drugs to treat patients suffering from HIV, hepatitis B or influenza. Gilead has operations in North America, Europe and Australia.