Abbott reported that the company is implementing new initiatives aimed at expanding access and affordability to its new lopinavir/ritonavir tablet in the developing world.
Abbott's comprehensive programme is designed to ensure long-term, sustainable access to high-quality HIV medicines and includes:
A sustainable pricing structure that reduces the price of lopinavir/ritonavir tablets to $2,200 per patient per year in low-income and low-middle-income countries.
Maintaining a price of $500 per patient per year in Africa and the least developed countries (LDCs).
Registering Aluvia (lopinavir/ritonavir), Abbott's new, non-refrigerated tablet formulation of lopinavir/ritonavir with decreased pill burden, as broadly in the developing world as the current Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) soft-gel capsules.
Significant investment in additional manufacturing capacity, to meet anticipated increased demand for high-quality, second-line HIV treatments.
Development of a new paediatric formulation of its lopinavir/ritonavir tablet to meet the treatment needs of HIV-positive children worldwide which is currently underway.
Abbott develops and produces high-quality medicines that enhance and extend patient lives. Achieving universal access to HIV treatment requires other investments on the parts of government and other groups in health infrastructure, skilled healthcare workers, enhanced regulatory systems and distribution chains.
"As a caregiver of HIV patients in the developing world, I am pleased with Abbott's continued effort to develop new and innovative programs related to medication costs," said Robert Redfield, M.D., director of Clinical Care and Research, Institute of Human Virology, Baltimore, Md. "These efforts will enable individual countries to maximize their ability to provide medicine for their citizens."
Today's announcement results in price reductions in low-income and low-middle-income countries by reducing the price to $2,200 per patient, per year in 45 low-income and low-middle-income countries. This action broadens Abbott's preferential pricing to 114 countries from the 69 African countries and LDCs. Prices apply to all developing world public funders of HIV medicines, specifically governments and non-governmental organizations. The new pricing structure will apply to both tablet and soft-gel capsule formulations of lopinavir/ritonavir and will be effective immediately. As previously announced, Abbott will continue to sell lopinavir/ritonavir at $500 per patient per year in Africa and the LDCs.
Aluvia is the same high-quality, non-refrigerated product as Kaletra tablets. Lopinavir/ritonavir is a recommended second-line treatment for HIV infection in the developing world by the World Health Organization. Protease inhibitors, such as lopinavir/ritonavir, are important treatment options in the fight against HIV when first-line regimens fail.
The tablet will have broad availability, just like the lopinavir/ritonavir capsule, which is the among the most widely registered protease inhibitors in the world. The company is working to register lopinavir/ritonavir tablets in Africa, Asia and Latin America as rapidly as possible. Local registrations are the best way to provide rapid access to the greatest number of patients. Abbott has registered the current lopinavir/ritonavir capsules in more than 100 countries.