Bristol-Myers Squibb supports hepatitis C and HIV programme

Bristol-Myers Squibb is donating products to an effort to tackle hepatitis C and HIV in Africa and Asia.

Supplies of hepatitis C medicine Daklinza (daclatasvir) have been given to the programme, which is being run by AmeriCares and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI).

This follows studies finding that Daklinza can be administered concurrently with HIV medicines without them needing to be adjusted or altered, as is the case with other hepatitis C treatments.

Dr David Ripin, executive vice president of access to medicines and malaria, and chief science officer at CHAI, commented: "Daklinza, used in combination with sofosbuvir, has been shown in clinical trials to be able to cure almost all hepatitis C cases, and it is a critical part of the treatment algorithm for HIV and hepatitis C co-infection."

He confirmed that it is already moving forward with its committed partner countries to begin this treatment effort.

"We applaud Bristol-Myers Squibb for its donation and AmeriCares for its work in advancing hepatitis C treatment for patients in these countries," Dr Ripin added.