Generic Version of HIV Medicine to be Produced by 4 Indian Pharma Companies

New Delhi: As many as four pharmaceutical companies of the country are among the six firms that have been granted royalty-free licenses by international pharma giant ‘Gilead Sciences’ to produce and supply generic versions of its highly effective HIV drug, lenacapavir, currently used for treatment of multi-drug-resistant HIV and also clinically proven successful, as a preventive medication for HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus), reported The Statesman.

As per the announcement made by the US-based Gilead Sciences on 2 October, India’s Dr Reddy’s Laboratories, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Labs and Mylan, a unit of the US-based Viatris, are the four Indian generic drug manufacturers, which have been granted licenses along with Egypt’s ‘Eva Pharma’ and Pakistan’s ‘Ferozsons Laboratories’ to manufacture and supply generic lenacapavir in 120 low and lower-middle-income countries including India, which have a high-incidence of HIV but are resource-limited.

India with 25 lakh HIV-infected people ranks in the top three countries in the world having the highest numbers of HIV-infected people.

The license to four Indian companies to produce generic, and cheaper, versions of lenacapavir would help in improving the country’s HIV situation.

Lenacapavir is a long-acting injectable drug that has proven 100 per cent successful in clinical tests and subsequent human trials in preventing HIV in women who received it twice a year, and almost 99 per cent protective for men and gender minorities, who have sex with men.

It is administered twice a year through a subcutaneous injection given once every six months.

Lenacapavir is currently approved in the USA under the brand name ‘Sunlenca’, for treatment of multi-drug resistant HIV. However, the present cost of the branded product is very high. As per reports, two injections a year are sold for $42250, costing $21125 for each injection. The cost in Indian rupees comes to a whopping more than Rs 35.48 lakh.

The drug’s generic versions manufactured in India can reduce the cost greatly.