Compulsory licensing could be big business for drug makers

With over 500,000 people dying of cancer every year in India, the argument over compulsory licensing seems to be headed in one direction - in favour of those who can produce inexpensive life-saving drugs. Thus, Natco Pharma has secured the first ever compulsory licence to make the generic version of Bayer's patent-protected anti-cancer drug, Nexavar. Mumbai-based BDR Pharmaceuticals has applied for a similar licence to make Bristol-Myers Squibb's anti-cancer drug Sprycel. And the government is evaluating handing out compulsory licences for three other drugs used in the treatment of cancer.

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