Aurobindo to cut down anti-AIDS drug prices

By Ramnath Subbu

MUMBAI, MAY 15. The Hyderabad-based Aurobindo Pharma is to bring down the price of its triple-combination cocktail of anti-AIDS drugs in the domestic market next week.

Speaking to The Hindu,the company officials stated that from Monday, Aurobindo's three drug regimen which includes Zidovex-L (a combination of zidovudine and lamivudine) and Nevirex (nevirapine) will be available at Rs. 116 a day or Rs. 3,480 a month. The three drug regimen was earlier available at Rs. 170 a day. Zidovex-L will sell at Rs. 32.3 per tablet and Nevirex will sell at Rs. 25.50 a tablet. The dosage is two tablets of each a day.

Mr. Srinivas Lanka, director, Aurobindo Pharma, said that the company is working to bring down the cost further to less than Rs. 100 a day for this combination and is hopeful of achieving the same in the next 3-4 months. ``The reduction in price has been possible through internal efficiencies. Our aim is to reach as many patients as possible,'' said Mr. Lanka.

Aurobindo Pharma is also planning to launch another combination of stavudine, nevirapine and lamivudine in the next two weeks. Stavudine 40 mg is to be priced at Rs 9 per tablet, nevirapine 200 mg at Rs. 25.50 per tablet and lamivudine 150 mg at Rs. 15.50 per tablet, totalling Rs 50. At the recommended dosage of two tablets per day, the price per day is Rs 100 and Rs 3000 per patient per month.

Cipla had last week announced a cut in its domestic prices and effective May 8, the company's similar triple drug cocktail of Stavudine-Nevirapine-Lamivudine, per patient is priced at Rs 3,495 per month against the earlier price of Rs 4,320 per patient per month. The price cuts announced by Cipla are in the region of 15-17 per cent for the basket of products including Zidovir, Lamivir, Duovir, Stavir, Nevirapine and Dinex 100.

Ranbaxy Laboratories had also last week launched lamivudine, nevirapine and zidovudine products in the Indian market. Virocomb - a combination of lamivudine and zidovudine has been priced at Rs 50 per tablet and zidovudine has been priced at Rs 26 per tablet.

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