Africa to produce drugs to fight HIV

ROCHE Holding AG said on Friday it will help three African companies to produce one of its anti-HIV drugs.

It will provide Aspen Pharmacare in South Africa, and Cosmos Ltd and Universal Corp Ltd in Kenya with the technical assistance necessary to produce saquinavir, the active ingredient in the Swiss-based pharmaceutical’s Invirase treatment. They will produce the drug in Africa and will be allowed to export it to other developing countries.”It is both encouraging and heartening that local African manufacturers are taking steps to increase their capacity to produce and provide HIV medicines locally,” said Lembit Rago, a World Health Organisation expert.The company said it does not file for patent rights in the world’s poorest countries.The move, it added, would not affect its pricing policy allowing least developed countries to buy anti-HIV protease inhibitors at cost.Nampa-APThey will produce the drug in Africa and will be allowed to export it to other developing countries.”It is both encouraging and heartening that local African manufacturers are taking steps to increase their capacity to produce and provide HIV medicines locally,” said Lembit Rago, a World Health Organisation expert.The company said it does not file for patent rights in the world’s poorest countries.The move, it added, would not affect its pricing policy allowing least developed countries to buy anti-HIV protease inhibitors at cost.Nampa-AP