Medicines Patent Pool administers sub-licenses for generic production of Daklinza

The Medicines Patent Pool announced it has administered sub-licenses to multiple generic companies to produce and sell Daklinza, an antiviral for the treatment of hepatitis C virus infection, in low- and middle-income countries.

The licenses allow generic manufacturers Cipla, Emcure, Hetero and Natco to develop and sell Daklinza (daclatasvir, Bristol-Myers Squibb) to 112 low- or middle-income countries. The companies have signed nonexclusive, royalty free agreements with Bristol-Myers Squibb, according to a press release.

“Given the burden of hepatitis C, [Medicines Patent Pool] worked quickly to forge agreements with generic companies,” Greg Perry, executive director of the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP), said in the release. “Cipla, Hetero and Emcure are long-term partners working with us to develop generic HIV antiretrovirals. We welcome Natco, a new collaborator, to the MPP and hope to have other companies on board as well.”

The sub-licenses mark the first time that generic manufacturers have worked through a non-profit, public health organization to increase access to new medications for developing world countries and its people with HCV, according to the release. MPP announced in November 2015 that they were including HCV drugs in their mandate, with a goal of improving access to direct-acting antivirals.

According to the release, between 130 and 150 million people worldwide have HCV, of which the vast majority live in low- and middle-income countries.

Disclosure: Perry is employed by the Medicines Patent Pool.