[e-drug] Azithromycin sources (5)

e-drug
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E-drug: Azithromycin sources (5)
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Azithromycin sources

1)Patent status:
Although it was first developed in 1981 by a Croatian
pharmaceutical company, Pliva, exclusive sales rights were granted
to Pfizer for the US and Western Europe. In 1988 Pliva launched
Summamed* in Central and Eastern Europe, and in 1991 Pfizer
launched Zithromax* elsewhere. The patent will not expire until
2005 in the US and, even later (2008) in other countries.
As far as I know, patent was granted in Australia in 1990. Please,
verify with your patent office.

2. Alternative sources
One capsule of Zithromax* 250 mg costs around $US 4 in the US,
$US 1.7 in Spain (manufacturer price). There are, nonetheless,
many generic manufacturers in countries where there is no patent
protection for this product according to the national patent law in
force at the time the product was first patented elsewhere.

For instance , manufacturer (orientative) price per 250 mg capsule,
in US$:

Manufacturer Country Price

Vita Spain 0.92
Lesvi Spain 0.92
Square Bangladesh 0.64
Farmoz Portugal 0.54
Eskayef Bangladesh 0.46
Cipla India 0.20
Wockhardt India 0.18

Actually in countries like India one can find many other
manufacturers such as : Kopran,Protec,Dee Pharma, Sarabhal,
Alembic, Bal Pharma, J.K. Pharma, Globus, Biochem, IRM
Pharma(source : Indian National Formulary). I have come across
other names in Latin America altough I do not have further
information: Colombia (Bussie), Venezuela (Leti), Costa Rica
(Stein), Prester (Argentina), El Salvador (McKesson_Bonima),
Guatemala (Unipharm, Laprin), Brazil (NeoQuimica).

I hope this information is useful.
Kind regards,

Carmen Perez-Casas
Access To Essential Drugs Campaign
Medecins Sans Frontieres
c/Princesa 31, 2 planta
28008 Madrid
tel : +34 91 5411375
fax : + 34 91 5420022

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