Johannesburg: Aspen Pharmacare, South Africa’s leading JSE-listed pharmaceutical company, is pleased to announce the launch of EmdoltenTM, a Dolutegravir-based triple combination anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment option.
EmdoltenTM, a once a day triple combination tablet therapy in the form of Dolutegravir, Lamivudine and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate, is positioned to become a preferred first line ARV and will be available in 50mg, 300mg/300mg dosage strengths.
Stavros Nicolaou, Aspen Senior Executive, Strategic Trade, said, “There has been significant excitement at a clinician, funder and patient level about the use of Dolutegravir, a second generation integrase inhibitor, which offers clinical and safety profile benefits. EmdoltenTM enhances Aspen’s HIV product offering in South Africa and has the potential to improve the lives of millions of South Africans presently on ARV treatment. As part of our ARV leadership, we were able to introduce the first Dolutegravir and Dolutegravir-containing combinations into the South African market over 18 months ago. This represents a further refinement of Dolutegravir-containing combinations.”
“Aspen pioneered the development and manufacture of generic ARVs in South Africa in the early 2000s, when our country was grappling with HIV denial and the potentially destructive consequences of an un-arrested HIV pandemic. Prior to this, ARV’s, which were then patent protected, were inaccessible to the majority of these patients.”
Aspen’s pioneering efforts resulted in the accelerated introduction of South Africa’s public ARV programme which has contributed to the successful treatment of hundreds of thousands of patients afflicted with HIV and AIDS.
“Since the launch of Aspen Stavudine, our first generic ARV in August 2003, we have continued to be an anchor supplier of ARVs to both the South African public and private sectors, a leadership position we have maintained through extensive manufacturing investment into the local economy and the introduction of an ongoing pipeline of ARV products. This has enabled Aspen to bring the latest ARV innovations to market, providing patients and healthcare professionals with the most advanced ARV treatment options for patients’ specific needs,” added Nicolaou.
Issued by:
Shauneen Beukes, Aspen Group Communications Manager
Tel: +27 12 6618467 Cell: 082 389 8900
On Behalf Of:
Stavros Nicolaou, Senior Executive, Aspen Pharmacare Holdings Ltd
Cell: 082 458 3135
