South Africa's Aspen Wins AIDS Drug Deal With U.S. Gilead

Africa's biggest generic drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare has signed a nonexclusive deal to manufacture and distribute life-prolonging HIV/AIDS drugs for U.S.-based Gilead Sciences. Aspen said in a statement it would manufacture Gilead's Truvada and Viread antiretroviral drugs for 95 countries with limited resources, and would distribute the drugs in Africa. Under the deal, Aspen will turn Gilead ingredients into tablets in its South African factory, which was recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Reuters (http://www.reuters.co.za/locales/c_newsArticle.jsp?type=businessNews&localeKey=en_ZA&storyID=8282776)