HIV drugs to cost more as cos rush for patents
HIV treatment in India could get costlier as global pharma cos have started securing patents for drugs used to treat AIDS and related diseases.
By TNN |
NEW DELHI: Treatment of HIV patients in India could get costlier as global pharmaceutical companies have started securing patents for drugs used to treat AIDS and related diseases. Global major Pfizer received the patent for Maraviroc in June this year. Roche has also received patents for its two drugs used to treat Hepatitis C and cytomegalovirus retinitis (blindness), diseases which are common with HIV patients.
There are around 2.5 million HIV patients in India and once companies’ gets patents for their drugs, government, HIV organisations and individuals will not have an affordable option of generic drugs. Pfizer drug Maraviroc is a second line anti-retroviral drug used to treat patients who have developed resistance to first line of medications. At present, there are no generic equivalents for the drug worldwide.
However, patients groups are likely to challenge the patent for Maraviroc. “The Indian patent office has given approval even though the European regulator has withheld its decision for lack of sufficient details. The company has not even registered the drug in India after getting marketing approval in the US in August. We will have to check the medical benefits of this drug and its market before deciding on the future course of action, ” says an NGO official.
Network of people living with HIV, an NGO, has already made a post grant opposition for Roche’s drug Pen-interferon, which is used to treat Hepatitis C. According to some estimates, the cost of pen-interferon for six months is around $5000. Another drug of Roche, Valganciclovir, used to treat blindness in HIV patients has also got patent approval. This could cost around $10,273 for 3 months. Cipla has moved a post grant opposition against Valganciclovir patent.
Pfizer on its part said that it will make available affordable drugs in India. “We are in the process of complying with necessary regulations for registering Maraviroc in India. Therefore it is too premature to comment on launch details. However we are committed to bringing meaningful improvement to the lives of people living with and those at risk of HIV/AIDS through outreach programs that will enable access of innovative medicines to patients.”
There are around 2.5 million HIV patients in India and once companies’ gets patents for their drugs, government, HIV organisations and individuals will not have an affordable option of generic drugs. Pfizer drug Maraviroc is a second line anti-retroviral drug used to treat patients who have developed resistance to first line of medications. At present, there are no generic equivalents for the drug worldwide.
However, patients groups are likely to challenge the patent for Maraviroc. “The Indian patent office has given approval even though the European regulator has withheld its decision for lack of sufficient details. The company has not even registered the drug in India after getting marketing approval in the US in August. We will have to check the medical benefits of this drug and its market before deciding on the future course of action, ” says an NGO official.
Network of people living with HIV, an NGO, has already made a post grant opposition for Roche’s drug Pen-interferon, which is used to treat Hepatitis C. According to some estimates, the cost of pen-interferon for six months is around $5000. Another drug of Roche, Valganciclovir, used to treat blindness in HIV patients has also got patent approval. This could cost around $10,273 for 3 months. Cipla has moved a post grant opposition against Valganciclovir patent.
Pfizer on its part said that it will make available affordable drugs in India. “We are in the process of complying with necessary regulations for registering Maraviroc in India. Therefore it is too premature to comment on launch details. However we are committed to bringing meaningful improvement to the lives of people living with and those at risk of HIV/AIDS through outreach programs that will enable access of innovative medicines to patients.”
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