Dive Brief:
- Daklinza (daclatasvir) will now be available as a generic drug in 112 low- and middle-income countries, based on an agreement between Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) and a UN-backed organization, the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP).
- Daklinza is on the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines.
- This is significant, considering the fact that the list price of Daklinza in the U.S. is $63,000 for a 12-week supply.
Dive Insight:
With this agreement, both the MPP and BMS are breaking new ground. Traditionally, the MPP has been charged with brokering agreements to facilitate the supply of low-priced generic medications for the treatment of HIV and AIDS. As of this month, the UN-backed group has expanded its coverage to include drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C and tuberculosis.
Shortly after the announcement of the MPP's expanded purview, news of the BMS agreement broke. This deal allows any country to manufacture develop generic Daklinza for the target markets, which cover almost two-thirds of hepatitis C-infected individuals.