Roche To Cut Prices for Protease Inhibitors Invirase, Viracept in Low- to Middle-Income Countries
Swiss-based pharmaceutical company Roche on Tuesday said it plans to cut prices for its protease inhibitors Invirase and Viracept for low- to middle-income countries, Reuters reports (Reuters, 6/8). Roche said it will cut prices by up to 33% on the two protease inhibitors for countries that the World Bank defines as low- and middle-income, according to AFX News (AFX News, 6/9). The company plans to reduce the price of 270-count packages of Viracept 250 mg tablets and Invirase capsules from $240 to $160, according to Reuters (Reuters, 6/8). Roche said that the reduced prices will apply to countries inhabited by 85% of the world's HIV-positive people, according to Dow Jones News (Dow Jones News, 6/8). Roche in March announced it no longer will file patents for antiretroviral drugs and drugs to treat other diseases or enforce existing patents on those drugs in countries that the United Nations has designated as least developed. In addition, Roche said it will not file patent applications for any new antiretroviral drugs in sub-Saharan Africa and will not take legal action against generic drug manufacturers in the region that produce versions of drugs for which Roche owns the patents (Kaiser Daily HIV/AIDS Report, 4/1).
This is part of the Morning Briefing, a summary of health policy coverage from major news organizations. Sign up for an email subscription.