Pfizer And GSK Launch New Health Care Company For HIV/AIDS Research
This past Tuesday, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer launched a joint venture called ViiV Healthcare, a new company dedicated to addressing international HIV/AIDS needs. The company plans to balance drug development and research with patient needs issues, such as accessibility of HIV medication.
The partnership seeks to build upon completed and ongoing research in both companies. By combining forces, GSK and Pfizer hope to effectively share the risks and costs associated with drug research. Additionally, by focusing solely on HIV, they hope to produce the greatest impact for HIV/AIDS patients.
ViiV Healthcare hopes to conduct research internally and also to create partnerships with other companies to maximize HIV drug development. Currently, ViiV Healthcare’s drug portfolio contains 17 different molecules, including Epzicom (abacavir/lamivudine) and Selzentry (maraviroc). Ten of these are currently available, and five are in Phase 2 clinical trials.
“ViiV Healthcare’s R&D will not solely focus on creating ‘new’ medicines,” said Dr. Dominique Limet, Chief Executive Officer of ViiV Healthcare, in a press release. “We will explore the potential of all our molecules for broader utility, for example to create new formulations and combinations that can help improve adherence or overcome resistance to the virus.”
According to the company, one core scientific goal is the advancement of research on pediatric HIV/AIDS treatment. ViiV Healthcare has committed to the Positive Action for Children Fund, a new GSK program focusing on mother-to-child HIV transmission and the support of orphans and vulnerable children.
The company will also address issues of HIV prevention, social stigma and discrimination associated with diagnosis, and therapy adherence. ViiV Healthcare has stated its intention to improve worldwide access to HIV treatment, with no discrimination based upon a patient’s income or geographical location.
This is believed to be GSK’s response to previous pressure to engage in a process called patent pooling. Patent pooling would release HIV drug patents with the intention of increasing their access and affordability in developing countries where they are needed most.
GSK has already initiated widespread patent pooling of drugs for so called neglected diseases; however, HIV/AIDS is not considered part of this category.
The ViiV Healthcare joint venture has received praise for its innovation and timeliness, with others seeing it as a clever way for GSK and Pfizer to eventually remove themselves completely from the field of HIV/AIDS treatment. However, GSK claims that there is no such exit plan in the works.
Please see the related AIDS Beacon article on patent pooling of HIV drugs. For more information on ViiV Healthcare, please see the GSK press release.
Related Articles:
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- Patent Pool Could Bring New HIV/AIDS Treatments To Poorer Nations
- Prominent Research Universities Pledge To Ease Patents And Promote Drug Availability In The Developing World
- Pharmaceutical Companies Pressured To Drop HIV Antiretroviral Drug Prices
- GlaxoSmithKline Announces New Plan For African Aid
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