Pfizer cleared a big milestone in India today: The company became the first to get patent protection for an AIDS drug there. The new patent covers Celzentry, or maraviroc, a new, first-in-class HIV remedy that was approved by the U.S. FDA in August.
Pfizer's victory follows several other attempts, including GlaxoSmithKline's bid for a patent on Combivir; opposition from patient groups prompted GSK to withdraw its application last year.
- read the report from the Economic Times
- see this chart of HIV drug patent applications and their status in the Business Standard