Duopharma gets nod

The Edgedaily: Duopharma Biotech Bhd’s proposal to manufacture anti-retroviral drugs to treat HIV/AIDS patients has received the government’s approval, industry sources say.
It is learnt that the Health Ministry has recently given the approval for the manufacture of SLN 30 and SLN 40 tablets, which are three-in-one fixed dose combination (FDC) products.
The sources say it is very likely the government will issue a letter of award to Duopharma for the production and marketing of the drugs.
In the initial stages, the contract will not be significant but it will boost Duopharma’s bottom line, they say.
According to Duopharma’s annual report 2004, the government aims to treat all HIV/AIDS patients, estimated to be 60,000 — with almost 20 new cases reported daily.
The anti-retroviral drugs are made using three types of active ingredients, which are stavudine, lamivudine and nevirapine.
The new FDC life-prolonging drugs, which are recommended by the World Health Organisation, will be the first to be introduced in Malaysia.
Duopharma had stated that the patent holder had allowed the company to use lamivudine to produce the SLN 30 and SLN 40 tablets for use in government hospitals to treat HIV/AIDS patients.
Under the FDC dosage, a patient is required to take two tablets a day as compared to the existing prescription of six tablets a day.
Fully subsidised, FDC would cost the government between RM15 million and RM26 million annually, which is only 20% of existing treatment costs, says the company’s annual report.
Industry sources say they do not expect any positive news to have any impact on Duopharma’s share price at this point as Chemical Company of Malaysia Bhd (CCM) is making a mandatory general offer at RM2.80.
As of last Friday, CCM owned 36.2% or 48.77 million Duopharma shares. Duopharma’s share price closed unchanged at RM2.75 yesterday with 116,900 shares done.