Aurobindo Pharma Ltd has effected a major break-through in the ARV (anti retro viral) segment by way of inclusion of six more of its products in World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva's pre-qualification list.

According to a company release, the products included in the list updated on December 14, 2005 are as efavirenz tablets - 600 mg, lamivudine oral solution - 10 mg / ml, lamivudine and zidovudine tablets - 150/300 mg, stavudine capsules - 30 mg, stavudine capsules - 40 mg and zidovudine oral solution - 50 mg/5 ml.

Following this inclusion, the total number of the company’s ARV products on WHO's pre-qualification list has gone upto ten. The product included previously are zidovudine tablets 300 mg, lamivudine tablets 150 mg, lamivudine tablets 300 mg and nevirapine tablets 200 mg tablets.

This is the first time that efavirenz tablets, an important first line agent in the treatment of HIV, AIDS, appear on the prequalification list of WHO.