Strides Arcolab has finalised a licensing agreement to manufacture and distribute a generic version of Gilead Sciences (US)'s tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) investigational antiretroviral treatment. The decision to extend non-exclusive rights to Strides Arcolab will allow the company to commercialise a low-cost generic copy of the drug in 112 developing countries as a single agent and combination medicine. As part of the agreement (viewed here) the Indian firm has also negotiated a technology transfer from Gilead Sciences. In September 2014, Gilead Sciences previously sub-licensed five other
India-based manufacturers - Aurobindo, Cipla, Emcure, Hetero, and Laursus Laboratories (as well as China's Desano) - to manufacture and market the product in the same 112 low- and middle-income countries. Mylan (US) has received similar non-exclusive rights. Gilead Sciences announced positive Phase III clinical trials data for TAF in September 2014 related to the safety and efficacy of the once-daily single-tablet dose of the treatment. Clinical trials have also favourably compared TAF as a combination treatment versus Stribild (elvitegravir; seeUnited States: 25 September 2014:). The results also demonstrated non-inferiority of TAF at 10 times lower doses compared with Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate) with the same active ingredient.