WASHINGTON: US pharmaceutical giant Gilead said Wednesday it had signed licensing deals with six generic drugmakers to produce and sell its HIV prevention medicine in lower-income countries.
The announcement comes shortly after Gilead faced pressure to open lenacapavir to a patent pool that would allow generics to be sold under license in those countries.
The antiretroviral drug has been hailed as a potential game-changer in the fight against HIV, with early trials finding the treatment 100 percent effective in preventing HIV infection.
With Wednesday’s announcement, generics companies will be able to make a lower-cost version of the HIV prevention regimen, subject to regulatory approvals, in 120 countries.
“Gilead teams have been working with urgency to bring on high-volume generic manufacturers now,” so they can start manufacturing the drug after receiving approvals, said Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day.
In July, researchers estimated that lenacapavir — which costs patients more than $40,000 per person a year in several countries — could be made for as little as $40.
The drug only needs to be injected twice a year, making it much easier to administer than current regimens requiring daily pills.
International health agency Unitaid said Wednesday that it welcomed Gilead’s announcement, adding that it was “prepared to invest immediately and collaborate to fast-track access to lenacapavir.”
“This is a potentially game-changing medication that could dramatically turn the tide against HIV infections, and we must ensure, without delay, global access to lenacapavir for all those who need it,” said Unitaid executive director Philippe Duneton.
There were 1.3 million new HIV infections last year, while 39 million people are living with the virus, according to the World Health Organization.
The licensees announced on Wednesday include companies in India and Pakistan, according to Gilead.
Based on data from its trials, Gilead is beginning a series of regulatory filings by the of end this year, it said.
“The agreements were signed in advance of any global regulatory submissions to enable these countries to quickly introduce generic versions of lenacapavir for HIV prevention, if approved,” it added of the six licensing deals.
The company is also prioritizing registration in 18 high-incidence countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand and Vietnam, to provide Gilead-supplied lenacapavir until generic versions are available.
In July, Liverpool University researcher Andrew Hill told AFP that if the drug was given to people at high risk of contracting HIV, it could “basically shut down HIV transmission.”
Gilead licenses HIV-prevention drug to generic drugmakers in India, Pakistan
https://arab.news/bryj2
Gilead licenses HIV-prevention drug to generic drugmakers in India, Pakistan
- Antiretroviral drug has been hailed as a potential game-changer in the fight against HIV
- Early trials finding the treatment 100 percent effective in preventing HIV infection
Pakistan’s president defends ongoing strikes in Afghanistan, urges Kabul to dismantle militants
- Afghanistan on Thursday launched attacks in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes the previous Sunday
- Pakistan’s military says it is only targeting Afghan military installations to avoid civilian casualties
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s president on Monday defended his country’s ongoing military strikes in neighboring Afghanistan, saying Islamabad tried all forms of diplomacy before targeting militants operating from Afghan territory, and called on the Taliban government in Kabul to disarm groups responsible for attacks in Pakistan.
Pakistan earlier said it is in “open war” with Afghanistan, alarming the international community. The border area remains a stronghold for militant organizations including Al-Qaeda and the Daesh (Islamic State) group.
“(The Afghan Taliban) must choose to dismantle the terror groups that survive on conflict and its war economy,” Asif Ali Zardari said during a speech to lawmakers, adding that “no state accepts serial attacks on its soil.”
Afghanistan on Thursday launched attacks in retaliation for Pakistani airstrikes the previous Sunday. Since then, Pakistan has carried out operations along the border, with Information Minister Attaullah Tarar claiming the killing of 435 Afghan forces and the capture of 31 Afghan positions.
Kabul has denied such claims.
In Afghanistan, the deputy government spokesman Hamdullah Fitrat said Pakistan’s military fired mortar shells at a refugee camp in eastern Kunar province, killing three children and injuring three others.
Afghanistan’s defense ministry said Afghan forces carried out strikes targeting a Pakistani military facility near Paktia province, causing “substantial losses and heavy casualties.”
Pakistan’s military did not respond to questions. It has said Pakistan is only targeting Afghan military installations to avoid civilian casualties.
Pakistan has witnessed a surge of violence in recent months and blames it on the outlawed Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan or TTP. It operates both inside Pakistan and from Afghan territory.
Islamabad accuses Afghanistan’s Taliban government of providing safe havens for the TTP, which Kabul denies.
The latest cross-border fighting ended a ceasefire brokered by Qatar and Turkiye in October. The two sides failed to reach a permanent agreement during talks in Istanbul.
Zardari reiterated Pakistan’s call for talks, saying, “We have never walked away from dialogue.”
The Pakistani leader again accused Afghanistan of acting as a proxy for India by sheltering militant groups.
“Stop being used by another country as a battlefield for their ambitions,” he said.
Zardari cited a recent report from the United Nations Security Council’s monitoring team that described the presence of militant groups in Afghanistan as an extra-regional threat.
