J&J allows nonprofit to distribute generic TB drug in low, middle-income countries

livemint.com:

In a significant move, Swiss-based Global Drug Facility, a nonprofit organisation, has partnered with pharmaceutical giant Johnson & Johnson to supply generic versions of the anti-tuberculosis drug bedaquiline to low and middle-income countries. But the deal has been criticised as it does not ends the company’s monopoly over the drug’s global supplies.  The agreement, signed with Global Drug Facility, an arm of Stop TB Partnership, allows the non-profit organisation to tender, procure, and supply generic versions of bedaquiline to 44 low- and middle-income countries.

The global patent of the drug ends today, but in a number of countries Johnson & Johnson continues to control the market with secondary patents. In a statement, Stop TB Partnership announced the agreement and called for tenders.

The statement read: “Following lengthy negotiations, Johnson & Johnson has granted Stop TB Partnership’s Global Drug Facility’s licenses that enable Global Drug Facility (GDF) to tender, procure, and supply generic versions of SIRTURO (bedaquiline) for the majority of low-and middle-income countries, including countries where patents remain in effect." The “important agreement" will support the goal of ending TB, the Stop TB Partnership said adding that the tender for bedaquiline will be launched by end-July. The MSF Access Campaign, which advocates for affordable and available medical treatments, said that while it welcomed the move, it was only a “stopgap" solution, and that the full terms of the agreement needed to be made public, reported The Guardian.