WASHINGTON: US pharmaceutical company Merck has entered into voluntary licensing agreements with seven generic manufacturers to produce low-cost versions of its experimental HIV prevention pill, Alimatravir.
According to the company, the agreements will allow the drug to be provided at a low cost in 129 developing, low-income and middle-income countries, where a large number of new HIV cases are being reported.
Under the agreements, described as royalty-free, the seven manufacturers will be authorized to produce generic versions of the drug for distribution in the specified countries.
A spokesperson for Merck said Alimatravir is currently in its third and final phase of clinical trials. If successful, the drug could provide protection against HIV-1 for up to one month with a single pill, and would begin working within about an hour of ingestion.
The company said it is investing in scaling up manufacturing capacity even before the completion of trials, so that the drug can be delivered quickly to countries in need once it receives regulatory approval.
It is important to mention here that Alimatravir has not yet been approved for use and remains investigational.
