The government on Wednesday said Indian drug makers Ranbaxy and Cipla have approached it for assistance in manufacturing Tamiflu to fight bird flu, even as it said it was in talks with multinational pharmaceutical firms Roche and GlaxoSmithKline for stockpiling the drug.
"Yes, Ranbaxy and Cipla have approached the government seeking assistance for procuring raw materials, sorting out licensing issues and selling the drug in the market," health secretary P K Hota told reporters in New Delhi.
Bird flu: Indian firms may make patented drug
He said the companies wanted government assistance mainly on the raw materials procurement, which are in short supply.
"They also sought our guidance on the licensing of Tamiflu from Roche, the patent for which is still pending in India," Hota said.
Moreover, the companies also sought government help to assess the exact requirement of the drug.
He said a secretary-level meeting, involving officials from the health ministry, Chemical and Industrial Development, and Animal Husbandry had discussed issues relating to the patents of Tamiflu.
Asked if the government was mulling over invoking compulsory licensing, even as Roche's patent in India is pending, Hota said, "Our primary concern is to make available the drug without any confrontation. We would like those companies to sort the matter amicably."
