(By Balaseshan) Mylan Inc. (NASDAQ:MYL) said it has licensed the rights to produce and market generic versions of Gilead Sciences Inc.'s (NASDAQ:GILD) HIV/AIDS therapies containing Emtricitabine.
Mylan announced the establishment of a new agreement between its subsidiary Mylan Laboratories Ltd. and Gilead Sciences to accelerate access to generic single and fixed-dose combination Antiretrovirals (ARV) containing Emtricitabine.
Emtricitabine is marketed by Gilead under the brand name Emtriva, and a fixed-dose combination of emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate is available under the brand name Truvada.
Emtricitabine also is a component of the "Quad", an investigational medicine that combines four Gilead medicines in a once-daily, single tablet regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection.
Mylan Laboratories obtained licensing rights to several Gilead products, which are currently in late-stage clinical development, including Elvitegravir, an investigational integrase inhibitor; Cobicistat, an investigational boosting agent to increase blood levels and allow once-daily dosing for certain HIV medicines; and the "Quad".
Additionally, Mylan Laboratories obtained non-exclusive rights to produce and market active pharmaceutical ingredients and finished products, including generic versions of Viread (Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate or TDF), Truvada (Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate) and other TDF-based combinations in over 100 developing countries including India.
Mylan's wide range of ARV products includes active pharmaceutical ingredients and 43 first- and second-line finished doses, nine of which are pediatric products. About one-third of HIV/AIDS patients in developing countries depend on a Mylan ARV product.
MYL is trading down 1.66% at $22.57 on Thursday, while GILD trades up 8.15% at $58.00.