J&J will not enforce HIV / AIDS drug patents in Africa

Hannah Blake

pharmaphorum

Johnson &amp, Johnson subsidiary, Janssen, has announced that it will not be enforcing the patents it owns and controls on the antiretroviral (ARV) drug Prezista (darunavir), provided the generic products are medically acceptable and only used in resource-limited settings.

According to the WHO, standard antiretroviral therapy, through the combination of at least three ARV drugs, aims to maximally suppress the HIV virus and stop the progression of HIV disease.

J&amp,J’s announcement will allow generic drugmakers to make cheaper, but still high quality, versions of darunavir without a concern that Janssen will accuse the activities of infringing its darunavir patents. There is a great need to supply affordable generic versions of darunavir for the treatment of people living with HIV, especially in sub-Saharan Africa and other developing countries.

“We are pleased to take this significant step toward bringing our innovations to meaningfully impact the health of people living with HIV and enhance access to our medicines for those in need. As part of this commitment, we believe that an effective access strategy includes responsible intellectual property management and that intellectual property should not be a barrier to ensuring a sustainable supply of medically acceptable darunavir in the world’s poorest countries.”

Paul Stoffels, Scientific Officer and Worldwide Chairman, Pharmaceuticals, Johnson &amp, Johnson.