Cipla licensed to market FDA - and WHO - approved Efavirenz
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Thursday, 13 March, 2008
Local pharmaceutical company Cipla has added another once-daily
dosage antiretroviral, efavirenz, to its extensive ARV
portfolio. Manufactured and supplied under license from Merck
& Co., Inc., the parent company of MSD (Pty) Ltd,
Cipla-Efavirenz 600 mg has US FDA approval and WHO
pre-qualification. In South Africa, efavirenz is the most
frequently prescribed ARV within both the public and private
sectors and commands the greatest ARV expenditure within the public
sector.
Cipla-Efavirenz 600mg can be taken in conjunction with other
once-daily dosage ARVs, including Lamivudine 300 mg and Tenofovir
300 mg to promote greater adherence and ease pill burden for people
living with HIV. "We have also brought it to market at an extremely
affordable price which again meets our goal of providing world
class, yet affordable, medicines," says Jerome Smith, CEO of
Enaleni Pharmaceuticals Ltd and Cipla Medpro.
Cipla, South Africa's third largest pharmaceutical company (by
volume), recently launched SA's first once-daily Lamivudine tablet.
In 2006 Cipla launched Triomune, a product containing three
different anti-HIV medicines in a single tablet. The company
currently markets 16 registered ARVs, with 14 awaiting registration
at the MCC and another 9 in the pipeline from Cipla International,
one of the world's leading producers of chronic medicines.
Issued by: Ros Walsh
Public Relations
Cipla Medpro (Pty) Ltd
Tel:
031 451 3800
Email:
ros@enaleni.com