Roche Concerned As Generic Tamiflu Emerges

Switzerland-based multinational pharmaceutical company Roche has expressed 'significant concerns' that Ukrainian drugmaker Zdorovya may be violating international intellectual property laws by launching a generic version of Roche's flu antiviral Tamiflu (oseltamivir). According to the Kyiv Post, Kharkiv-based Zdorovya announced on November 10 2009 that it had produced its first batch of generic Tamiflu, touted as 'a 100% copy'. Roche spokesperson Martina Rupp said the company has not given Zdorovya permission for re-production, noting the Swiss firm's currently-valid patent in Ukraine.

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