Abbott will lower cost of AIDS drug

Abbott Laboratories said it will drop the price Brazil must pay for the AIDS drug Kaletra, ending an embarrassing standoff with the Brazilian government. Brazil had threatened to break the patent on Kaletra and two other drugs made by Merck and Gilead. The Brazilian government says the price adjustment will save it $259 million over the next 6 years. The move may, however, increase international pressure on Abbott to reach similar accommodations with other governments in countries where the HIV/AIDS epidemic is out of control.

- see this story from The Wall Street Journal (sub. req.)