Tibotec and Emcure Collaborate on Access to Darunavir for India

County Cork, Ireland . - Tibotec Pharmaceuticals today announced that it has signed a royalty-free, non-exclusive license agreement with Emcure Pharmaceuticals Limited of India to distribute the protease inhibitor darunavir (DRV) in India.

Tibotec is committed to ensuring access to innovative HIV/AIDS therapies and has collaborated with Emcure because of the company’s strong reputation in India and extensive reach through its country-wide distribution network. The agreement will help to build a sustainable effort in India to ensure patients in need have access to darunavir.

Tibotec has been working with regulatory authorities in India to register darunavir. When approved, darunavir, co-administered with ritonavir and with other antiretroviral agents (ARVs), is expected to be indicated for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in antiretroviral treatment experienced adult patients.

“Tibotec believes that strong collaborations with companies such as Emcure provide the best options for HIV/AIDS patients by enhancing drug access and maintaining the quality of medicines,“ said Wlodek Kubiak, VP of Worldwide Access Programs. Tibotec works with local companies in resource-poor countries to facilitate access to its antiretrovirals. In 2007 Tibotec provided a royalty-free voluntary license to Aspen Pharmaceutical for darunavir for sub-Saharan Africa and for least developed countries outside that region.

“Emcure seeks to work with leaders in innovative new therapies such as Tibotec to provide important treatments for HIV for the Indian people,” said Mr. Satish Mehta, CEO of Emcure.

Darunavir is currently registered in 79 countries worldwide.