Roche Engages In Four Additional AIDS Technology Transfers In World's Poorest Countries

Roche announced it has entered into four new technology transfers with local manufacturing companies in Africa and Asia; Regal Pharmaceuticals in Kenya, CAPS Holdings in Zimbabwe, Shelys Pharmaceuticals in Tanzania and Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd in Bangladesh.

As part of Roche's Technology Transfer Initiative, these companies will be provided free of charge with the technical expertise to manufacture generic HIV medicine, based upon the processes to produce saquinavir, Roche's 2nd line HIV medicine.

Since its launch two years ago, Roche has signed Technology Transfer agreements with a total of nine companies across sub-Saharan Africa and the world's Least Developed Countries.

Furthermore Roche has received expressions of interest from a total of 35 manufacturers in 15 eligible countries, including Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe and Nigeria. Roche will continue to work with these individual applicants to assess production capabilities.

Roche's team will work onsite at manufacturing facilities at all four locations and from its headquarters in Switzerland to undertake the technology transfers.

The companies will be able to produce saquinavir for supply throughout countries in sub-Saharan Africa, and to those defined as Least Developed by the United Nations, due to Roche's policy of not filing patents on antiretroviral medicines in these countries.