CIPLA requests licenses from Glaxo, Pfizer, BMS, and BI

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CIPLA requests licenses from Glaxo, Pfizer, BMS, and BI

On December 19, 2000, the Indian drug manufacturer CIPLA requested

voluntary licenses for six HIV/AIDS drugs (lamivudine, zidovudine,

fluconazole, stavudine, didanosine, nevirapine) from Glaxo, Pfizer,

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Boehringer Ingelheim, the companies that

currently claim intellectual property rights over them. In each

letter, CIPLA offered to pay a 5 percent royalty. CIPLA noted that

five percent was the " approximate the average pharmaceutical royalty

rate, " according to a February 2000 submission to the United States

Trade Representative (USTR) by the US trade group PhRMA. In writting

CIPLA stated:

" As you know, the high prices for HIV/AIDS medicines have made it

impossible for millions of persons in developing countries to obtain

access to medicines, contributing to widespread suffering and death.

CIPLA seeks to provide a competitive product, with the expectation

that competition will drive prices down, benefitting patients and

saving lives. "

CIPLA requested a response to these letters by February 25 or last

thursday.

December 19, 2000 Letter from CIPLA to GlaxoWellcome.

http://www.cptech.org/ip/health/aids/ciplaglaxo12192000.html

December 19, 2000 Letter from CIPLA to Pfizer.

http://www.cptech.org/ip/health/aids/ciplapfizer12192000.html

December 19, 2000 Letter from CIPLA to Bristol-Myers Squibb.

http://www.cptech.org/ip/health/aids/ciplabms12192000.html

December 19, 2000 Letter from CIPLA to Boehringer Ingelheim.

http://www.cptech.org/ip/health/aids/ciplaboehringer12192000.html

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http://www.cptech.org

Cross posting from: IP-Health list <ip-health@...>,

pharm-policy <pharm-policy@...>