Glaxo slashes not-for-profit prices of HIV antivirals

Glaxo has revealed it is to reduce the prices of some of its antiretroviral drugs, effective from July 1st with the intention of helping some of the world’s poorest nations.

The price of Trizivir will be cut by up to 30 per cent, while the price of Ziagen will be reduced in both adult and paediatric formulations. The company says that an improved manufacturing process and the economies of scale lie behind the decision to reduce prices.

Furthermore, two new drugs – Kivexa and Telzir – will be incorporated into Glaxo’s not-for-profit HIV drug scheme, pending their approval by the relevant authorities.

JP Garnier, Glaxo’s chief executive, said: “The HIV/AIDS pandemic presents a unique challenge to the global community.”

“The actions we are announcing today demonstrate Glaxo’s commitment to the global response through sustainable preferential pricing, partnerships, community investment, and research and development of new medicines and vaccines to fight disease,” he added.

In 2005, Glaxo exported over 126 million not-for-profit priced antiretroviral tablets to 56 developing countries. The company describes itself as the world’s leading supplier of HIV/AIDS medicines. Last month, it announced that it had selected Cobra Biomanufacturing to develop and manufacture two prospective HIV vaccines developed.

As of December 2005, 1.3 million people in low and middle-income countries were using antiretroviral treatments for HIV/AIDS. Avert, a UK-based HIV/AIDS charity, estimates that some 40.3 million people suffer from HIV/AIDS, while approximately 3.1 million died from the disease in 2005.

According to Reuters, Glaxo is producing different packaging for its not-for-profit versions of the drugs to prevent them returning onto the black market in developed countries where they are sold for the full price.

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