Roche technology transfer initiative to aid poorest countries

Roche has pledged further help to tackle HIV/AIDS in the world's poorest and hardest hit countries by expanding its current activities within sub-Saharan Africa and the world's Least Developed Countries.

As part of its new Technology Transfer Initiative, Roche will provide local manufacturers with the technical expertise required to produce generic HIV medicines. The model for the transfer of expertise will be based upon the processes to manufacture the HIV protease inhibitor medicine, saquinavir, recommended by the World Health Organization as a second line treatment in resource limited settings.

A new Roche team is being established and will be fully operational from the second quarter of 2006. It will be based in part on the ground in Africa, as much of the knowledge and skill sharing will be undertaken onsite at the local manufacturer's production facilities, and in part at the global headquarters in Basel, Switzerland.

'With international funding now available, Africa will be the world's biggest user of HIV medicine. We have taken this unique step to help ensure that the right medicines in the right formulation are available locally,' said William M. Burns, ceo division Roche Pharmaceuticals. 'We want to use the knowledge we have developed to help strengthen local manufacturing capability and hope to help as many manufacturers as possible in these hardest hit countries by sharing our knowledge, so that they can learn and benefit from our technology.'

Manufacturers in sub-Saharan Africa and the Least Developed Countries wishing to produce generic saquinavir for use in these countries will not be required to apply for a voluntary licence, as Roche has committed as part of its global policy not to enforce the patents it holds on HIV medicines within these regions.