South Africa wants to provide ARVs to 80 per cent of the infected population and has an R4.28bn ($628m) national tender to support the effort. Sonke Pharmaceuticals, a joint venture between Ranbaxy and Community Investment Holdings, has been awarded R913.5m of the tender.
In return the South African government will be supplied with ARVs manufactured at Ranbaxy facilities in South Africa and India. Sonke claims to be the second-largest local supplier of generic ARV in South Africa.