Gilead Sciences will allow generic copies of Truvada and Viread

Gilead Sciences this week announced that it has granted a license to South Africa's Aspen Pharmacare to allow the generic drug firm to produce cheap versions of its anti-HIV drugs Truvada and Viread for distribution in 95 developing countries. Gilead will provide the active ingredients for the drugs to Aspen, which will formulate the medications and distribute them under their global trade names in the resource-poor countries. Gilead officials say the agreement aims to boost the number of people on antiretroviral therapy in developing countries, particularly those in HIV-ravaged sub-Saharan Africa. The drugs will be sold at the current prices established through Gilead's global Access Program--about 80 cents per person per day.