Press Release
Abbott and Government of Brazil Sign Kaletra® (lopinavir/ritonavir) Supply Agreement
Brasilia, Brazil , July 4, 2007 — The Government of Brazil has accepted Abbott's offer to supply Kaletra® (lopinavir/ritonavir) tablets at the equivalent of US$1,000 per patient per year in that country and entered into a new agreement with the company.
The new agreement, signed by Brazil's minister of health, José Gomes Temporão, and representatives of Abbott, follows the company's announcement on April 10, 2007 that it would reduce the price of lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) capsules and tablets to $1,000 in 45 low and low-middle income countries. The World Bank classifies Brazil as a low-middle income country and Abbott offered to enter into a new agreement with the government at the lower price. The new agreement replaces the existing agreement between Abbott and the Government of Brazil signed in 2005.
"We wanted Brazil to
benefit from the same price we offered to other countries with its level of
economic development," said Heather Mason, vice president, Latin American
and Canada Operations, Abbott. "The signing of this agreement symbolizes
what can be achieved when governments and companies negotiate with the
interests of patients in mind. It makes it easier for the Government of Brazil
to afford medicine that a growing number of its people will need. Additionally,
it assures Brazilian patients of access to a proven medicine that has received
the WHO prequalification quality stamp of approval."
Before the signing of the new agreement, Kaletra was already the lowest-cost protease inhibitor in Brazil in its category. However, according to the Brazilian Government, the new agreement will result in further savings of approximately $10 million for the Government of Brazil. At $1,000 per patient per year, Abbott's LPV/r is more affordable than any generic copy of the medicine available today.
"We want to work with the Government of Brazil to support the Brazilian AIDS program and to ensure that people with HIV in Brazil have access to the proven medicines Abbott develops and produces," added Mason.
Abbott's HIV Program in the Developing World
The new LPV/r price for low and low-middle income countries was set after consultation with the World Health Organization. It was designed to balance governments' need to provide LPV/r to the people who need it and their level of economic development. It also allows countries to make a contribution, consistent with their level of economic development, to the investment in innovation and manufacturing capacity needed to discover and develop new medicines and to improve global access to them.
Abbott's price of $1,000 per patient per year to low and low-middle income countries forms part of its differential pricing program. Abbott maintains its no-profit price of $500 per patient per year for LPV/r in all African and least developed countries, where approximately seven out of every ten people with HIV live.
Tiered pricing is a key element in Abbott's approach to ensuring broad access to its HIV medicines in the developing world. In addition, Abbott registers its HIV medicines broadly – the LPV/r capsule formulation is registered in 118 countries, which makes it the most broadly registered anti-HIV drug in the world. The LPV/r tablet version has already been submitted for marketing approval in 135 countries and will ultimately be registered in more than 150 countries. Abbott also has invested in expanded production capacity to ensure universal quality supply and continues to develop new formulations of its HIV medicine for adults and children.
About Kaletra
Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infected adults and children above the age of two years, in combination with other antiretroviral agents. Most experience with Kaletra is derived from the use of the product in antiretroviral therapy naïve patients. Data in heavily pretreated protease inhibitor experienced patients are limited. There are limited data on salvage therapy on patients who have failed therapy with Kaletra.
The choice of Kaletra to treat protease inhibitor experienced HIV-1 infected patients should be based on individual viral resistance testing and treatment history of patients. Kaletra is not recommended for use in children below two years of age due to insufficient data on safety and efficacy.
- Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir)
About Abbott Brazil
Abbott has been in Brazil for 70 years, serving the market of pharmaceutical and medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. Abbott's plant in Brazil produces medicines for domestic supply as well as for exportation to Mexico and Latin American countries. Abbott Brazil employs approximately 1,000 people.
About Abbott
Abbott has been a leader in HIV/AIDS research since the early days of the epidemic. In 1985, the company developed the first licensed test to detect HIV antibodies in the blood. Abbott retroviral and hepatitis tests are used to screen more than half of the world’s donated blood supply. Abbott has developed two protease inhibitors for the treatment of HIV – lopinavir and ritonavir.
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceuticals and medical products, including nutritionals, devices, and diagnostics. The company employs 65,000 people and markets its products in more than 130 countries.
| Contact information | |
| Media: In Brazil: Ana-Paula Barbosa |
+55 11 9425 6532 |
| Outside Brazil: Jennifer Smoter |
+1 847 772 4631 |
