-The Hindu Well before the Supreme Court rejected Novartis' application for patent for Glivec (Gleevec in the U.S.), drawing attention to the dichotomy of generic and patented drugs, activists have been demanding access to expensive drugs used in the treatment of cancer, hepatitis C and serious HIV. Trastuzumab is one such, used in the treatment of HER2+ type of breast cancer, which affects about one in four patients with the disease. Rough...
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Novartis order may force pharma MNCs to change
-The Economic Times Foreign pharma companies could be forced to overhaul their strategy for the Indian market by striking more local deals and cutting sky-high drug prices after the Supreme Court slammed the door on Swiss giant Novartis' attempts to gain a patent for its blood cancer-busting drug Glivec. But the ruling, welcomed by activists campaigning for affordable drugs and local generic companies, threatened to reinforce a narrative that India...
More »Sickle cell disease killing tribals, dalits in MP -Manjari Mishra
-The Times of India MANDLA/JABALPUR: Tribals in Kundam, a settlement 40 km off Jabalpur, call it a black demon, one who strikes select families and ensures an early and agonizing death by sucking its victims white. For once, medical experts couldn't agree more with this home spun wisdom that aptly describes sickle cell - an incurable genetic disorder which damages vital organs like liver, kidney, heart and spleen. The disease manifest at...
More »Patients win over patents-Srividhya Ragavan
-The Hindu Justice Prabha Sridevan’s judgment permitting the production and sale of a generic version of a cancer drug is a victory for patients. It posits the public interest, especially in matters of health care, right at the heart of intellectual property rights in India Monday was a remarkable day for cancer patients in India. To them, the country said — “we care.” I am talking about the astounding decision by Justice...
More »Bayer plea dismissed, Natco allowed to sell patent cancer drug
-The Business Standard Chennai: The Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) today upheld a compulsory licence issued by the Controller of Patents to Hyderabad-based Natco Pharma Ltd, a generic drug maker, to manufacture and sell a cancer drug of Bayer Corp in India. IPAB, however, made changes in the licence order by increasing the royalty payment to Bayer Corp for Nexavar, used to treat liver and kidney cancer, from six per cent to...
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