Mylan, Clinton Foundation to offer HIV drugs at lower prices

Indian drug firm Matrix Lab today said its US-based parent Mylan and former US President Bill Clinton-promoted Clinton Foundation have joined hands to offer drugs used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS at lower prices in the developing nations.     

Mylan and W J Clinton Foundation have entered into an agreement to lower price of treatment for patients with drug- resistant HIV in developing countries, enabling better and affordable treatment for a number of people across the world, Matrix said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.     

Matrix Lab manufactures active pharmaceutical ingredients.     

The new products and prices will be available to those governments that are members of the Clinton Foundation's procurement consortium across Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean.     

Under the agreement, Mylan and Matrix will make available four drugs — tazanavir, ritonavir, tenofovir and lamivudine —  in three pills.

Tenofovir and lamivudine would be combined into a single pill. Three pills would now be available as separate products, with a total price of less than $475 (about Rs 2,200) annually. This would be the first time that a second-line regimen of four ARVs will be available for under $500 annually.