The new agreement made between AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) and Abbott Laboratories, resolves the two lawsuits brought by AHF against Abbott over the company's price increase for its HIV/AIDS drug, Norvir (ritonavir). They have also agreed to work together on enhanced AIDS prevention, diagnosis and treatment programmes.

Abbott and AHF acknowledged that while they continue to have fundamental differences over the pricing of Norvir, both agree that there are other issues impacting the HIV community that merit attention and can be addressed in a cooperative effort, a release from AIH says.

As part of the agreement, Abbott will provide support to selected HIV/AIDS testing, prevention and treatment programs in the United States and Africa conducted by AHF, which will serve 10,000 patients. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

"Our goal in reaching this agreement has been to enhance our ongoing commitment to supporting patients long-term in the fight against HIV," said Heather Mason, vice president, US commercial operations, Specialty Pharmaceuticals, Abbott Laboratories. "By working together, we believe we can have an impact on meeting the needs of the community in ways neither of us could do alone," he added.

"While the agreement we announce today with Abbott does not resolve the issue of AIDS drug pricing, it will result in a positive partnership that will save thousands of lives," said AHF president, Michael Weinstein.