Imphal, April 22: The Manipur Network of Positive People has flayed the claim for patent rights by a private company of a drug prepared by the combination of the popular HIV/AIDS drugs Zidovudine and Lamivudine with silicon.

Speaking to reporters today at the office of MNP, its State co-ordinator Ng Ratan informed that the drugs Zidovudine and Lamivudine are already in use by HIV patients according to their health status.

One private company Glaxo Smithkline (GSK) claimed to have discovered a new drug for HIV/AIDS by the combination of Zidovudine and Lamivudine with silicon, stated Ratan.

The supposedly new drug with its brand name Combivir applied for patent licence at the patent office of Kolkata.

The new drug was discovered to found to be prepared from the drugs already in use after an analysis of the drug by a team experts, mentioned Ratan.

He observed that it is not reasonable to claim patent rights on such a drug prepared from drugs already in use.

He further added that once the patent licence is given, the company would decide the price of the drug according to their wish and the currently highly beneficial HIV/AIDS drugs Zidovudine and Lamivudine which are made available to HIV patients free of cost might become unavailable to the people which would be hard blow to the HIV patients.

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