World News

Compiled by Martin Flynn

Dr Yusef Manied on the cover of BR International with Former President Bill Clinton

Generics fight back over PI dog data

Dr Yusef Hamied, chief executive and chairman of Indian generic drug manufacturer Cipla, has hit back at allegations from Abbott that it’s generic protease inhibitor drugs are not ‘bioequivalent’ to the original PI drugs and are therefore dangerous to use.

Giant US based pharmaceutical Abbott Laboratories made the allegations about the generic forms of the protease inhibitors Lopinavir (Kaletra) and Ritonavir (Norvir) at an HIV conference in Dakar, Senegal in late May.

But Cipla retorted that their generic PI drugs are of the highest quality standards and said the Abbott research was carried out in dogs not humans.

The battle for cheaper copies of second line antiretroviral drugs has heated up this spring with allegations and counter allegations as millions of people with HIV in developing countries remain without any therapies.

Dr Hamied and Cipla were the first company in the world to make a ‘three in one’ antiretroviral pill at less than a dollar per patient per day five years ago but the battle for rights and patents of second line therapies continues.
For full story and study data, please see Treatment News on Page 46.

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