BRIEF—Teva moves fast with generic HIV drug

Israeli drugmaker Teva Pharmaceutical Industries has wasted no time in launching a generic version of a newly off-patent HIV drug with annual US sales of around $762 million.

The patent for Viread (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate), from US biotech Gilead Sciences, expired on Friday, and on that day Teva announced its exclusive launch of a generic.

Noting that generics were looming, in October, USA-based global AIDS organization AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)  called on Gilead to reduce the price of its tenofovir-based drug regimens – including Viread – by as much as 90%.