Ranbaxy Laboratories Limited has entered into a licensing agreement with Gilead Sciences, Inc. covering manufacturing and marketing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient (API) and formulations containing Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF). While the API will be made available to other Gilead licensees in India, TDF formulations can be marketed in 95 developing countries including India. Both API and formulations will be manufactured at Ranbaxy's manufacturing facilities in India. The license allows for technology transfer from Gilead to Ranbaxy.

Gilead sells TDF under the brand name Viread TDF is increasingly being seen as an important first line as well as second line drug for treatment of HIV infection.

Commenting on the development, Ranbaxy's CEO and MD Malvinder Mohan Singh said, "We are continuously striving to provide access to high quality, affordable medicines to HIV patients across the developing world. The agreement with Gilead for Tenofovir will greatly help in that endeavour. With Ranbaxy's extensive ground presence and distribution network in most of the developing countries worst afflicted by HIV/AIDS, Tenofovir will be able to quickly reach patients who are in dire need of this drug."

Ranbaxy's continued focus on R&D has resulted in several approvals in developed markets and significant progress in New Drug Discovery Research. The company's foray into Novel Drug Delivery Systems has led to proprietary "platform technologies", resulting in a number of products under development. The company is serving its customers in over 125 countries and has an expanding international portfolio of affiliates, joint ventures and alliances, ground operations in 49 countries and manufacturing operations in 8 countries.