Aurobindo Unveils Anti-Aids Drugs At 25% Discount

Aurobindo Pharma has fired another salvo in the anti-AIDS drugs price war among Indian companies with the launch of anti-retroviral medicines at prices lower by 20-25 per cent against other domestic counterparts.

Aurobindo has a price advantage over other companies as it produces all the 14 bulk drugs which are needed to produce the combination of drugs available for AIDS.

"There are a total of 14 bulk drugs in the global market to combat AIDS and Aurobindo produces all of them. It is, therefore, easy for the company to develop combinations and market them at low prices," said S Hariharan, vice-president, Aurobindo Pharma.

Indian companies including Cipla, Zydus Cadila and Ranbaxy are also in the market with similar drugs.

"The cost of treatment has come down to approximately Rs 100 per day and we are targeting a further reduction to Rs 50 a day," he said adding that the company has approached the government for an exemption or reduction in the level of excise, sales and local taxes. If these taxes are removed, the cost can come down further by around 30-40 per cent.

The anti-retroviral drugs introduced by the company have brought down the cost of therapy from around Rs 10,000 per patient per month to around Rs 3,000 per month, he said.

The company has priced Zivodex-L (a combination of zidovudine and lamivudine) in a 10-tablet strip at Rs 323, Lamivox (lamivudine) 150-mg at Rs 155, Nevirex (Nevirapine) at Rs 255, Stavex (Stavudine) 30mg and 40 mg at Rs 78.75 and Rs 90, respectively, said a company release.

Aurobindo has launched five brands initially and plans to introduce two more in around two weeks. In the next six months, the company will be introducing around 10 combinations.

Aurobindo has launched a new division, IMUNUS, which will focus on anti-virals. The company will be investing around Rs 20 crore in the division in the next six months.

"We will use the existing marketing network to distribute the drugs. We are also trying to network with non-governmental organisations and corporates to sponsor patients," Hariharan said.

The division was launched in the south and west India in April and has captured five per cent of the market within 25 days of launch, he said.

The highly active anti-retroviral therapy is a combination of several drugs to control the progression of AIDS. All drugs used in the combination control the multiplication of the virus by interfering at various sites. This method of treatment has been found to be highly effective in reducing morbidity and mortality.

However, there is danger of patients developing resistance to these drugs. Therefore these drugs will have to be administered carefully and the combinations will have to be altered over time.