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Green light for generic AIDS drug production

Kenyan drug firm Cosmos was granted permission on Wednesday to produce generic versions of pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline's (GSK) patented anti-AIDS drugs. The voluntary license will enable Cosmos to manufacture the generic drugs Zidovudine and Lamivudine, as well as a combination of the two, Combiver. Agence France-Presse quoted GSK general manager for East Africa Andrew Bullock as saying: "We are pleased that another local healthcare company will play a significant role in addressing the HIV/AIDS crisis." Under the agreement, signed in the capital, Nairobi, Cosmos can sell the cheaper versions across east Africa and in Rwanda and Burundi.

This article was produced by IRIN News while it was part of the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs. Please send queries on copyright or liability to the UN. For more information: https://shop.un.org/rights-permissions

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