Hetero Drugs to supply anti-AIDS drug to Kenya

By Ramnath Subbu

MUMBAI, MAY 6. The Hyderabad-based Hetero Drugs (HDL) has received the compulsory license to supply its anti-AIDS drugs to Kenya. ``The license is currently in the process of being registered'', said Mr. Dharmesh Shah, director, Business Development, Hetero Drugs. ``The registration procedure is expected to be completed in the next few weeks and we will begin supply of the drugs from July.'' said Mr. Shah.

HDL manufactures the triple AIDS cocktail of Lamivudine, Nevirapine and Stavudine besides other anti-AIDS drugs comprising the basket including Indinavir, Zidovudine and the recently launched Nelfinavir.

Further, the company is in the final stages of registration in Colombia and west Asia. HDL was in discussions with Mexico also but it is currently studying the patent situation there. Regarding the supply of the triple AIDS cocktail to South Africa, Mr. Shah said, ``The court verdict in South Africa in favour of supplying life supporting drugs to AIDS patients there has set a precedent. We met officials from South Africa last week and they have decided to go in for `fast track' registration. As per a legislation under TRIPS (Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights), an international tender would be floated in the last quarter of the current year.''

After Kenya, HDL plans to supply its drugs to Congo and has already lined up other African countries with which discussions are underway or are to commence. ``We are currently in talks with the Nigerian and Zimbabwean governments. A more definite picture will emerge in the next few months.'' said Mr. Shah.

As per an understanding with Aspen Pharmacare (APL) of South Africa, HDL will supply the drugs to the SADC region through APL. The SADC region includes Angola, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, the Seychelles, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Aspen Pharmacare is a 1.1 billion SA Rand company and HDL has already made a technology transfer to it.

HDL has, according to Mr. Shah, also had discussions with Medicins Sans Frontiers (MSF) for supply of anti-AIDS drugs. HDL had earlier offered to supply the anti-AIDS cocktail of Lamivudine, Nevirapine and Stavudine to MSF at $ 347 per patient per annum as against the Mumbai-based Cipla's offer of $ 350 per patient per annum. ``Bio-equivalency tests were required to be carried out on the drugs and we are expecting the results at the end of this month. Thereafter we will discuss the matter further with MSF.''

In the domestic market, HDL has been talking to National AIDS Control Organization (NACO) as well as the World Health Organization (WHO). ``However, at the moment, these organizations are collecting information and studying the patterns.''

HDL has six manufacturing facilities - five in Hyderabad and one in Surat besides a Research & Development (R&D) centre in Hyderabad.

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