Strides Arcolab Ltd has entered into an agreement with the Clinton Foundation to make available a range of affordable anti-retroviral drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS in countries that are under the aegis of the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS initiative.

Speaking at a formal ceremony announcing the agreement at New York, Arun Kumar, Group CEO and Managing Director, Strides Arcolab, said, "We are committed to supply a comprehensive range of first line and second line anti-retroviral drugs that meet global quality standards at affordable prices. "

Speaking on the occasion, President, Clinton said "Strides Arcolab will offer the ARV efavirenz for $240 per patient per year. This price represents savings of more than 30 per cent from current market rates. Following the agreement, Strides will also supply first-line ARVs under Clinton Foundation agreements. Lowering the price of second-line drugs is a major priority for my foundation in 2006. Treatment, once started, is a lifelong commitment, and over time patients move from low-price first-line drugs to second-line combinations that are at least 10 times more expensive. Keeping the global cost of AIDS treatment sustainable will only be possible if we lower the prices of these medicines."

According to the company release, Strides' oral dosage forms facility at Bangalore, India, has been pre-qualified by WHO for manufacture of anti-retroviral drugs, four of which are already pre-qualified. This facility has also been inspected and accepted by the US FDA for supply of anti-retroviral drugs under the PEPFAR programme. Product dossiers for co-packaged and fixed dose combinations are under submission. Currently, anti-retroviral products are registered and supplied to more than 26 countries worldwide.

To complete this therapeutic segment, Strides has initiated end-to-end solution to treat malaria - both oral dosage forms and injectables. Commercialization of this range will take place by Q3 of current year, the release added.