Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Reuters NewMedia - December 14, 2004
The licence for Cipla Medpro (Pty) Ltd, a local unit of Cipla, is the fifth such voluntary licence granted in South Africa by GSK, the world's leading supplier of HIV/AIDS drugs.
The move allows Cipla Medpro to manufacture, import and sell GSK's antiretroviral drugs lamivudine and zidovudine, and combination treatment containing both of them.
Cipla Medpro is the third-largest generic drugmaker in South Africa and is already a leading supplier of anti-AIDS drugs -- including a three-in-one tablet called Triomune, which it has patented in South Africa.
Africa is the continent hit hardest by the HIV/AIDS pandemic and South Africa's caseload of over 5 million infected people is the world's largest.
Local production of cheap generic drugs is viewed as increasingly important as more countries around the world seek to make AIDS treatments widely available.
GSK said the move underlined its commitment to broadening access to antiretroviral medicines, although critics have contended that its voluntary licensing schemes have failed to get cheap drugs to those in need.
GSK said the latest deal should yield results quickly since Cipla has tendered to supply AIDS drugs to the government for its roll-out programme and has also registered them in South Africa, which should make them available immediately.
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