Roche announced today an agreement with the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) whereby Roche will deliver state-of-the-art diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of HIV-exposed children less than 18 months of age at substantially reduced prices. A reliable diagnosis based on fast, accurate and accessible HIV and AIDS testing in infants is essential in the fight against the disease, and the agreement between CHAI and Roche should improve access to such testing in sub-Saharan Africa, where, according to *UNAIDS/WHO statistics released in 2007, approximately 68% of all new infections occurred and more than two out of three, 68% of people and 90% of children, infected with HIV, live.
Knut Seifert, Senior Vice President International Public Health Organizations for Roche, said: “Every successful therapy starts with a fast and reliable diagnosis – including for the millions of HIV/AIDS patients in sub-Saharan Africa. Because they are particularly vulnerable to the disease, it is crucial to know whether or not children have been exposed to HIV/AIDS as soon as possible. Knowing about the infection as fast as possible means that treatment can start as soon as possible.” According to findings from the *Children with HIV Early Antiretroviral Therapy (CHER) trial, a South African study by Dr Avy Violari of the University of Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and Dr. Marc Cotton from Cape Town, starting ART before 12 weeks of age reduces early mortality by 75%. “Together with CHAI, we are proud and happy to be able to bring in our diagnostics expertise and products in order to make a difference for the youngest and most vulnerable HIV/AIDS patients.” said Seifert.
The products to be delivered by Roche include laboratory devices to test children and comprehensive products for the collection of dried blood spot samples. Among the technologies available for HIV diagnosis of children, Roche's polymerase chain reaction (PCR) on DNA in blood is currently the most widely used. When utilised with dry blood spot methodology, the test provides considerable advantages in resource-limited settings where sample taking, storage and transportation is problematic. The use of a heel prick to collect drops of blood from a baby is relatively simple and the transport of dried blood spots is also easy as compared to the transport of whole blood as no cold chain storage is required to get samples to the laboratory.
Roche and CHAI have agreed to co-operate on the rolling out of Early Infant Diagnosis projects in 24 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Roche will supply testing kits and products for the collection and processing of dried blood samples to these countries which will be procured by CHAI from financing received from UNITAID.
Since 2002, the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative (CHAI) has been assisting countries in implementing large-scale, integrated care and treatment programs. It partners with 28 countries in Africa, the Caribbean and Asia. Individual governments take the lead and the Foundation provides technical assistance, mobilizes human and financial resources, and facilitates the sharing of best practices across projects. CHAI also provides access to reduced prices for HIV/AIDS drugs and diagnostics to more than 70 countries. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.clintonfoundation.org.
UNITAID – the International Drug Procurement Facility – was launched in September 2006 by Brazil, Chile, France, Great Britain and Norway, with the mission to reduce prices of expensive drugs and diagnostics for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, and with a view of increasing the pace at which these products are accessible to developing countries. UNITAID is an innovative financing mechanism, which relies on solidarity levies on plane tickets and multi-year predictable budgetary contributions. Thanks to its sustainable, predictable and additional funding, UNITAID is a position to provide long-term support to developing countries to better respond to these three diseases. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.unitaid.eu.
Headquartered in Basel, Switzerland, Roche is one of the world's leading research-focused healthcare groups in the fields of pharmaceuticals and diagnostics. As the world's biggest biotech company and an innovator of products and services for the early detection, prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, Roche contributes on a broad range of fronts to improving people's health and quality of life. Roche is the world leader in in-vitro diagnostics and drugs for cancer and transplantation, a market leader in virology and active in other major therapeutic areas such as autoimmune diseases, inflammation, metabolic disorders and diseases of the central nervous system. In 2006 sales by the Pharmaceuticals Division totalled 33.3 billion Swiss francs, and the Diagnostics Division posted sales of 8.7 billion Swiss francs. Roche has R&D agreements and strategic alliances with numerous partners, including majority ownership interests in Genentech and Chugai, and invests approximately 7 billion Swiss francs a year in R&D. Worldwide, Roche employs about 75,000 people. Additional information is available on the Internet at www.roche.com.
References:
1. UNAIDS/WHO, 2007 AIDS epidemic update: December 2007
2. Violari A et al. Antiretroviral therapy initiated before 12 weeks of age reduces early mortality in young HIV-infected infants: evidence from the Children with HIV Early Antiretroviral Therapy (CHER) study. Fourth International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Treatment and Pathogenesis, Sydney, abstract WESS 103, 2007. http://www.aidsmap.com/en/news
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