BBC News - Monday, 8 October, 2001
Aspen Pharmacare has been given the patents to generically produce anti-retroviral drugs for supply to the government health service and to non-profit making anti-Aids charities.
Under the agreement the South African company is not allowed to profit from the sale of the drugs, AZT, 3TC and Combivir, or export them to any other country in Africa.
GlaxoSmithKline's concession comes six month after it and 39 companies dropped legal action to stop South Africa from importing cheap medicines.
The deal expected to be announced in South Africa on Monday, means the British pharmaceutical company will waive royalties.
The South Africa generic manufacturer would be expected to pay a 30% fee on sales to non-governmental agencies.
An estimated 4.7 million South Africans are HIV positive.
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