Cipla, RLL working on anti-AIDS drugs for children.

[Guest guest]

Cipla, RLL working on anti-AIDS drugs

Monday, 27 December , 2004, 07:36

Mumbai: As children succumb to HIV/AIDS, pharmaceutical companies

worldwide have had agencies knock at their conscience for an easily

accessible, affordable and administrable version of the AIDS

medicine for children.

Cipla and Ranbaxy, which have played a significant role in the

generic AIDS drugs segment - albeit for adults - are now developing

chemically similar paediatric dosage forms of anti-AIDS medicines,

executives with both companies confirmed to Business Line.

Cipla is working on developing a dosage of triomune that can be

given to children and babies, said Amar Lulla, Joint Managing

Director.

On when the drug would actually hit the market, Lulla said that it

would depend on the clinical trials, which are being done outside

India.

Though anti-AIDS drugs are available for children in the global

market, they are expensive, not easily accessible and difficult to

administer, according to a representative with a global health-

related advocacy firm. Globally, 5.1 lakh children below 15 have

died of HIV/AIDS in 2004, according to UNAIDS data for 2004.

An estimated 22 lakh children below 15 are living with HIV, the

multi-lateral agency report said.

MNCs like GlaxoKline do have paediatric forms of their anti-

AIDS drugs in the market.

But global welfare organisations said that they are looking at

Indian generic companies to develop affordable and easily

administrable versions of the paediatric drug.

About three years ago, Cipla had played a significant role in

driving anti-AIDS drugs prices down in Africa by offering generic

versions of the drugs at one-thirtieth of the original cost.

Ranbaxy is looking to scale up its production of the paediatric

dosage of the drug.

The company has paediatric dosages of lamivudine, zidovudine and

nevirapine available in the Indian and Nigerian markets.

These are available in liquid or powder form. Ranbaxy is now looking

to make these drugs more accessible, said a company spokesperson.

Elaborating on the technical difficulties in making an anti-AIDS

drug dosage for children, he said that the medicine strength is

standard for adults but varies for children depending on body

weight.

" Different children have different weights at different ages. In the

past, organisations working in the segment powdered the AIDS drugs

given to adults and gave it to the children. The process of making a

dosage for children is expensive and companies don't find it

feasible. "

http://sify.com/finance/equity/fullstory.php?id=13637163