Abstract

The case deals with Gilead Sciences, a bio-pharmaceutical company with several FDA approved HIV/AIDS drugs. In 2006, the company launched the Gilead Access Program to enhance access to HIV/AIDS drugs in developing countries. In India, which also happened to be the largest producer of generic drugs, Gilead signed a voluntary licensing agreement for its drug, Viread, with 13 companies. By 2011, Mylan (previously known as Matrix Laboratories), one of the 13 Indian companies, had emerged as the leading supplier for Viread, with two-thirds of the global market. In order to accelerate its market reach, Gilead wanted to expand the scope of the agreement with four major Indian companies, including Mylan. Gregg Alton, Executive Vice President for Corporate and Medical Affairs, had to decide how he would convince his partners to come on board and how to execute the agreement.

Learning Objectives

*To develop a framework to think through the ethical dilemmas and social issues confronting a multinational enterprise operating in diverse locations. *To consider the polarizing forces for incentivizing innovation and enhancing affordability, particularly in emerging markets. *To explore the role of collaborative commercialization where innovative firms from developed countries collaborate with productive firms in the emerging markets to deliver life-saving solutions in this case AIDS crisis.