ViiV Healthcare extends licensing agreement with Medicines Patent Pool

ViiV Healthcare, the HIV company majority owned by GSK (GSK), with Pfizer (PFE) and Shionogi (SGIOY) as shareholders, announced an update to their voluntary licensing agreement with the Medicines Patent Pool for cabotegravir to include patents relating to its use in a long-acting HIV treatment regimen. The announcement follows updated guidance from WHO recommending long-acting injectable cabotegravir + rilpivirine as an HIV treatment option. Existing generic licensees for prevention will be able to develop, manufacture and supply generic CAB LA, for use in combination with long-acting rilpivirine, subject to required regulatory approvals being obtained, to help enable access to the long-acting treatment in 133 countries worldwide. This includes all least-developed, low-income, lower middle-income and Sub-Saharan African countries, as well as countries where ViiV does not have patent rights for cabotegravir. The updated MPP-ViiV agreement is an extension of the voluntary license for cabotegravir for HIV PrEP. ViiV Healthcare has been supporting the generic manufacturers with technical know-how to enable development and access to CAB LA as soon as possible. Through the agreement, the existing licensees, Aurobindo, Cipla and Viatris, will be able to develop, manufacture and supply generic versions of CAB LA, for use in combination with long-acting rilpivirine, for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and adolescents weighing at least 35kg, subject to required regulatory approvals being obtained.