ASPEN, LUPIN DISCONTINUE TB JOINT VENTURE

South African drugmaker Aspen Pharmacare and Lupin announced they have mutually agreed not to pursue the memorandum of understanding they signed in February 2006 for the development, manufacture and marketing of tuberculosis (TB) drugs.

The companies had agreed to a 50-50 joint global marketing agreement. Though the companies have discontinued that agreement, they will continue to collaborate on marketing TB drugs in South Africa as per a previous agreement.

At the time of the signing of the February 2006 agreement, the companies believed that there would be strength in the combination of Lupin's TB and active pharmaceutical ingredient pipeline and Aspen's multidrug-resistant TB product line and experience with antiretroviral drugs. The companies had also planned to explore opportunities in the malaria market.

Aspen is the largest generic drugmaker in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the top 20 generic manufacturers worldwide, according to the company. It is also Africa's largest pharmaceutical company.