Merck grants royalty-free licenses for experimental HIV prevention pill to generic makers in 129 low-income countries

Merck announced voluntary licensing agreements that let generic manufacturers produce its experimental HIV prevention pill, known as alimatravir, in low- and middle-income markets.

The deals cover seven generic firms-three based in Africa and four in India-and are royalty-free, allowing them to sell the product to both public and private purchasers across 129 countries.

Merck made the agreements while the pill is still in late-stage clinical trials, aiming to give manufacturers time to scale up production if the trials succeed.

The approach is intended to broaden access and keep costs predictable for health systems in resource-limited settings.