Anti-Retrovirals in Africa, not a distant dream

Ranbaxy Laboratories (India) has entered into a joint venture with a South African company that will support Ranbaxy’s key agenda of enabling antiretroviral drugs in Africa. A joint venture between Ranbaxy and South Africa based Community Investment Holdings has been signed, that will give authority for this company to sell the drugs in Africa. The CEO of Ranbaxy South Africa, Desmond Brothers, conveyed that this venture will permit the company to make the drugs available at a low cost.

Ranbaxy will retain 70% of the venture, called Sonke Pharmaceuticals, in charge of marketing the products under the brand name 'Sonke'. Governments, retail pharmacists, HIV/AIDS disease management companies, nongovernmental organizations and independent community treatment organizations in South Africa, Botswana and Namibia, will be the contact points for sales of the antiretroviral drugs.