Roche Holding AG has announced plans to increase the production capacity of the antiviral medication Tamiflu to 300 million doses per year from now until 2007, in response to the need for pandemic flu preparedness.
Roche stated that this production level is ten times higher than that of 2004. “The needs of patients during a pandemic remain our top priority,” affirmed the company’s CEO, William M. Burns.
Orders for Tamiflu surged after doctors believed that the medication could prevent and treat avian flu if taken within two days of the onset of symptoms. The drug has become increasingly valuable, especially in the absence of a human avian flu vaccine.
Previously, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended that governments stockpile enough antiviral medication and seasonal flu vaccines for at least 25% of their populations. With this goal in mind, Roche, the sole supplier of Tamiflu globally, is unable to meet the demand. The international community has urged the company to relax its control over the production of the drug, despite the patent being valid for over ten more years.
Recently, Roche received requests from over 150 governments and companies for assistance in production. Proposals include licensing the production of a generic version of Tamiflu (at a lower cost) or participating in partial production support. The company has stated that it has begun negotiations with eight pharmaceutical companies worldwide, as well as the governments of Taiwan and Vietnam. The results of the potential partner selection will be announced at the end of this month.
Mỹ Linh (according to AP)
