Boehringer Ingelheim amends Viramune generics license

Boehringer Ingelheim has announced that as part of its commitment to widen access to its anti-HIV pharmaceutical Viramune (nevirapine) in developing countries worldwide, it has altered its voluntary licensing policy for generic producers of the drug.

Under its new policy, the patents on nevirapine will effectively not be enforced by the company in developing countries, making the manufacture of generic versions of the drug free of license or other fees.

Boehringer Ingelheim will issue generic producers of the drug pre-qualified by the World Health Organisation short, non-assert declarations for the supply of the compound.

Furthermore, the company has introduced a new preferential price for the drug in African and other low-income countries of $0.60 (0.30 pounds), half the previous preferential price for the treatment.

Dr Alessandro Banchi, chairman of Boehringer Ingelheim, said: “Preferential pricing is the only way how we can meet both conflicting needs in the fight against Aids.”

He explained that this method of supply enables the firm to provide HIV treatments to developing countries worldwide at an affordable price while the sale of drugs in the industrialised world facilitates the research and development of novel Aids treatments.

Earlier this month, Boehringer Ingelheim announced the start of a comparative trial investigating the safety and efficacy of Viramune when compared to atazanavir/ritonavir.