Roche open to discuss patent rights of AIDS drug with Brazil

Roche Holding announced on Friday that it would be willing to confer with Brazil and with international trade organizations about the patent rights for its AIDS drug nelfinavir, following a threat from the nation that it would begin allowing generic firms to produce the drug if prices were not reduced.

A Roche spokesman said that the firm believes there is a need to explore, with the help of trade experts, the international patent rights and under what circumstances a country may overrule those rights. The United States has brought Brazil’s anti-AIDS program and its threat to the World Trade Organization, which will determine whether Brazil must amend its legislation.