Cipla to Provide AIDS Drugs to Nigeria
Indian generic drug manufacturer Cipla Ltd. announced yesterday that it would supply approximately $3.5 million in AIDS drugs to Nigeria, the Wall Street Journal reports (Wall Street Journal, 5/3). The company has signed a deal with the Nigerian ministry of health and plans to ship the first consignment out this month. The drugs will initially reach about 10,000 Nigerian patients at a cost of $350 per patient per year. Cipla Joint Managing Director Amar Lulla said that the company is "now extending the offer to [other] governments." Reuters Health reports that the deal comes "at a time when the much larger South African market for AIDS drugs is opening up to generic drug makers like Cipla." Analysts estimate that Cipla could sell up to $50 million in AIDS drugs in South Africa in the first year of exports (Reuters Health, 5/2).
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