Quality Chemicals joins global push for new HIV prevention medicine

What the report says

The Independent Uganda reported that Quality Chemical Industries Ltd. (QCIL) has obtained an early manufacturing licence from Merck & Co. for alimatravir, an experimental once-monthly oral medicine intended for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis. The Kampala-based manufacturer is among seven generic drugmakers covered by royalty-free, non-exclusive voluntary licences for 129 low- and middle-income countries, and one of three selected from sub-Saharan Africa, alongside companies in Kenya and South Africa.

According to the report, the arrangement is designed to let manufacturers prepare for possible commercial production before regulatory approval, which could reduce delays in access if the drug succeeds in trials and is cleared by authorities. The medicine remains investigational. The Independent cited Merck CEO Robert M. Davis saying the company was moving early because of unmet HIV prevention needs, while Africa CDC Director-General Jean Kaseya said a monthly pill could offer another prevention choice if trials and approvals are successful.

Uganda is also involved in EXPrESSIVE-10, a Phase III trial assessing the drug among adolescent girls and young women in Uganda, Kenya and South Africa. The report placed the licensing deal in the context of wider HIV prevention challenges, noting that 1.2 million people acquired HIV globally in 2025 and that PrEP use remains far below the 2030 global target.

The Independent also linked the development to QCIL’s broader expansion plans. The company has started building a new facility at its Luzira plant in Kampala, aims to double capacity within two years, and has recently reported stronger revenue and profit figures for the year ended March 2026.