Pharmaceutical Groups To Give Generic Drug Makers Access To HIV Medicines - FT

22nd Jul 2010 02:42

DOW JONES NEWSWIRES Three of the world's largest pharmaceutical groups will offer generic drugs manufacturers royalty-free rights to all their existing and experimental HIV medicines to sell at low cost in developing countries, the Financial Times reported on its website Wednesday, citing Viiv Healthcare. Dominique Limet, head of ViiV Healthcare, a joint venture between GlaxoSmithKline PLC (GSK) and Pfizer Inc. (PFE) for their HIV medicines that also includes new drugs compounds being developed by Shionogi & Co. (4507.TO) of Japan, said he preferred to "move quickly to accelerate access" rather than participate in a U.N.-backed rival "patent pool," the newspaper reported. This will allow generic drug makers to manufacture such drugs more cheaply and sell them in 69 least-developed countries, according to the newspaper. Full story: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/5f6e1c54-94fb-11df-af3b-00144feab49a.html (END) Dow Jones Newswires July 21, 2010 21:42 ET (01:42 GMT)