First ARVs from SA state-owned pharma company expected by 2017

During his State of the Nation Address, South Africa’s President Zuma announced that a state-owned pharmaceutical company called Ketlaphela had been established, reports the AllAfrica news service.

He noted that "the company will participate in the supply of antiretroviral drugs to the Department of Health from the 2016/17 financial year." The Department of Science and Technology (DST) says that "it is envisaged that the first Ketlaphela branded tablets will be available at the beginning of 2017."

Ketlaphela was actually started by government as long ago as 2007. Originally it was set up as a joint venture between the Industrial Development Corporation, Swiss chemical and drugmaker Lonza and Pelchem, a manufacturer of fluorochemicals owned by the South African government, for the purpose of locally producing the active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) for antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) used to treat HIV/AIDS. In 2013, Lonza pulled out of the joint venture.