Cipla Signals Readiness To Safeguard ARV Supply Amid Uncertainty In R15.5bn Tender

Image credit: NIAID, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Recently, two suppliers awarded the current antiretroviral (ARV) tender — Avacare Health subsidiaries, Barrs Pharmaceuticals Industries and Innovata Pharmaceuticals — have entered business rescue.

The total ARV tender is for a period of three years and is worth an estimated R15.5bn, of which the tenofovir/lamivudine/dolutegravir (TLD) component comprises R12.6bn.

Stability and continuity

Cipla acknowledges the uncertainty this may create within the ARV supply chain and underscores its readiness to assist in maintaining stability and continuity.

“Cipla confirms its willingness to support national requirements under the current tender agreement and, if needed, contribute meaningfully to any supplementary procurement processes to safeguard patient access to essential treatment," says Paul Miller, CEO of Cipla Africa.

Cipla has been manufacturing (TLD) for the government for the past seven years.

“We believe this tender presents an opportunity to further advance government’s commitment to strengthening local manufacturing capacity.

“By ensuring greater support for locally produced medicines, future allocations could meaningfully contribute to South Africa’s industrial development agenda while maintaining continuity of supply,” says Miller.

Miller adds the company has mobilised resources to help maintain equitable access to affordable critical medication.

It has also invested in its local manufacturing facility, upgrading its ARV production line capacity, installing a new Countec bottle line and increasing its tablet filling capacity by 190%.

The company says it can locally produce 475 million tablets annually and has up-scaled its manufacturing capabilities to ensure sufficient capacity to meet current demand and support near‑term growth.

According to Statistics South Africa, the number of people living with HIV in the country is estimated to be approximately eight million (12,7% of the population).

People living with HIV must have uninterrupted access to these life-saving medicines.

Any supply disruption puts patients at risk of developing drug resistance or adversely affecting health outcomes.