Roche announces HIV technology transfer to Africa

Roche, the Swiss pharmaceutical company, has revealed it has started a free-of-charge technology transfer to Africa to help provide facilities for the manufacture of HIV drugs.

Three African companies – Aspen of South Africa, Cosmos and Universal of Kenya – will receive technological assistance from Roche to produce generic compounds help fight HIV, based on the processes employed to produce saquinavir, a second-line HIV therapy.

Roche has dedicated an operational team to work on-site at the manufacturing facilities in the two countries, cooperating closely with the Switzerland headquarters.

Furthermore, 22 companies in 14 countries have also expressed an interest in taking part in the Roche Technology Transfer Initiative.

William M Burns, chief executive officer of Roche Pharmaceuticals, commented: “When announcing this initiative, Roche reaffirmed its commitment to constantly innovate our approach to addressing the challenges of HIV/AIDS treatment, particularly helping those people living in the poorest and hardest hit countries.”

Mr Burns concluded by saying that the technology initiative had the potential to make a “real difference to help those who most need it”.

The Roche Technology Transfer initiative started in January this year and involves the production of generic saquinavir, marketed in many countries under the trademark Invirase.