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Novartis allows generic Leukemia drug production in 7 nations: Bloomberg
Chronic myeloid leukemia is a cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells found in bone marrow, before spilling into the general blood stream.
Geneva: Novartis AG agreed to allow generic drugmakers in seven middle-income nations to produce a leukemia treatment, the first time a voluntary license has been granted for a patented cancer drug as part of a public health initiative.
The oral drug, nilotinib, is used to treat chronic myeloid leukemia and may be made in Egypt, Guatemala, Indonesia, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines and Tunisia, according to the Medicines Patent Pool, a United Nations-backed public health organization. Patents on the drug are either pending or in force in those countries.
"It's not enormous in terms of the impact it'll have, but it is enormous in what it represents," Charles Gore, executive director of the Medicines Patent Pool, said in an interview on Thursday. "Being the first public health license in non-communicable diseases and especially in cancer, is really significant."
Cancer kills about 10 million people a year, accounting for one in six deaths, according to the World Health Organization. Its impact is often higher in poorer nations, where the cost of treatment means that many of those who need the drugs can't access them.
"Sometimes they're simply not available. They're not registered, partly because the originators don't see that there's any real market there," Gore said. "In other countries it's just simply too expensive."
Read also: Nilotinib found safe and effective for Alzheimer's disease in Clinical trial
Chronic myeloid leukemia is a cancer that starts in the blood-forming cells found in bone marrow, before spilling into the general blood stream.
The Medicines Patent Pool aims to boost access to medicine for people in poor and middle-income nations. It now plans to seek companies to make nilotinib in the seven countries.
Read also: Novartis gets positive EMA panel opinion for prostate cancer drug Pluvicto
Ruchika Sharma joined Medical Dialogue as an Correspondent for the Business Section in 2019. She covers all the updates in the Pharmaceutical field, Policy, Insurance, Business Healthcare, Medical News, Health News, Pharma News, Healthcare and Investment. She has completed her B.Com from Delhi University and then pursued postgraduation in M.Com. She can be contacted at editorial@medicaldialogues.in Contact no. 011-43720751