Several non-governmental organizations want the government to issue an open compulsory license on Abbott Labs’ Kaletra AIDS drug and have sent letters to the Superientendencia de Industria y Comercio, which houses the patent office, as well as to the nation’s president and the health ministry. The request comes three months after several Colombian non-profit groups sought an open license directly from Abbott, which has so far, not responded.

The NGOs, in their letters, say that, in 2005, nearly 1,275 people living with HIV/AIDS in Colombia were taking Kaletra, And a survey of health organizations reported that Kaletra use grew from 3 million units
in 2004 to more than 6 million units in 2006, which means Kaletra consumption doubled in a period of just two years. Here is a statement issued by the groups. We are awaiting a reply from Abbott.

However, they charge that Kaletra patents have permitted Abbott to “maintain prices higher than a competitive market would bear. Considering only the lower prices offered to public institutions, Kaletra’s current Colombia price is about $1,683 per patient, per year. (Prices for private institutions are higher, and reach $4,449 per patient per year). Multiplying the public sector price by the number of patients, Kaletra currently costs Colombia’s public health system about $2,144,633 per year.

“Meanwhile, high-quality generic versions are available in many countries with prices under $800. Through a recent agreement between the Clinton Foundation and generic makers, prices can reach $550 per patient, per year, 67.3 percent less than Abbott’s product in Colombia. A license authorizing generic competition would enable a significant and immediate change in the cost of this medicine
in Colombia…

“A compulsory license for lopinavir/ritonavir in Colombia would allow the state to obtain and offer imported generics, as well as permit the local production of (Kaletra). The result could be greater product availability for patients, robust competition, and savings for the state, which could be directed to other public needs.”

Abbott, you may recall, caused a ruckus last year when Thailand issued a compulsory license for Kaletra, among other meds, and the drugmaker responded by refusing to sell new drugs there, including Kaletra. Later, though, Abbott agreed to sell a new pediatric version in Thailand.

The letters were sent by the Working Group of HIV/AIDS Organizations (Mesa de Organizaciones con trabajo en VIH/SIDA), Colombian Network of People Living with HIV (RECOLVIH), Foundation IFARMA AIS (Health Action International/HAI), and Foundation Health Mission (Fundación Misión Salud).

UPDATE: An Abbott spokeswoman sent us this statement later on Friday afternoon, although we were unable to post this until Friday night, because we left early. “Abbott has a long-standing commitment to patients in Colombia. Kaletra is broadly available to patients and affordable in Colombia today. Abbott has not received notification from the Colombian government of a compulsory license for Kaletra.”

Translation was provided by Peter Maybarduk of Essential Action