Thailand eyes generic versions of two AIDS drugs

[thalenoi]

Reuters

Thailand eyes generic versions of two AIDS drugs

Saturday July 10, 6:23 am ET

 

 

BANGKOK, July 10 (Reuters) - Thailand may produce generic versions of two antiretroviral (ARV) drugs made by U.S. drug companies in a bid to treat patients resistant to a domestically-made AIDS drug, health officials said on Saturday.

 

 

The two drugs are Efavirenz, produced by Merck (NYSE:MRK - News), and Kaletra -- a combination of Lopinavir and Ritonavir made by Abbott Laboratories Inc (NYSE:ABT - News).

 

Health officials say the move is necessary because 20 percent of HIV-infected people in Thailand are resistant to GPO-VIR, the generic ARV drug produced by the state-owned Government Pharmaceutical Association (GPO).

 

"We need to be self-reliant on two more AIDS drugs, otherwise we will be able to treat only 80 percent of our HIV-infected people," Supachai Kunaratanapruk, chief of the regulatory Food and Drug Administration, told reporters.

 

He said a final decision had not been taken.

 

Poor countries with established pharmaceutical factories have the right to make generic copies of patented drugs in the event of a medical emergency by issuing a compulsory licence.

 

Thailand has produced some 40 million tablets of its GPO-VIR generic drug, a combination of Stavudine, Lamivudine, and Nevirapine, since its start in May 2002.

 

The generic drug has reduced treatment costs to 1,200 baht ($29) a month compared to 10,000 baht a month for patented drugs.

 

GPO Managing Director Thongchai Thavichachart said the state drug agency planned to spend 500 million baht to boost the production capacity for GPO-VIR to 200 million tablets a year from 50 million now.

 

It would help treat 250,000 HIV/AIDS cases per year from a current level of 100,000 cases, he said.

 

GPO is researching and manufacturing 23 antiretroviral products and plans to add two more -- a Saquinavir tablet and a concoction of AZT, 3TC, and Nevirapine by October, the agency said in the statement. ($1=40.76 Baht)