NEW YORK (GenomeWeb) – Roche announced on Sunday the expansion of its HIV Global Access Program to include early infant HIV diagnostic testing in resource-limited settings.
The HIV Global Access Program was launched in 2014 to increase access to Roche's cobas AmpliPrep/cobas TaqMan HIV-1 Test version 2.0 through special pricing provided to qualifying organizations in eligible countries.
As part of the most recent announcement, Roche also said that it is now providing access to its cobas AmpliPrep/cobas TaqMan HIV-1 Qualitative Test v2.0 at an affordable price in 82 eligible countries with the highest disease burden.
When Roche launched the HIV Global Access Program, the Global Fund announced the initiative would reduce the average price of Roche's tests by more than 40 percent in low- and middle-income countries. The program was projected to save those sites more than $150 million over five years.
Roche announced last month that the Global Fund had selected the company as a supplier of early infant and viral load HIV diagnostics, including both tests. As one of the main funders of the Global Access Program, the Global Fund will have access to the new pricing announced yesterday, according to a company spokesperson.