Medicine: Indian company plans generic bird flu drug

I knew it wouldn't take long.

The New Scientist reports that Indian company Cipla, plans to begin marketing a generic version of the antiviral drug oseltamivir, better known as Tamiflu, by December. By next July, the company will be able to make a million 10-capsule courses of treatment per month.

The drug is one of the few that can block replication of the H5N1 virus, potentially preventing the illness from becoming fatal.

Not suprisingly, the move had been opposed by Swiss pharmaceutical companyRoche, which holds the patent on Tamiflu. However, Roche now says it would not oppose companies that want to strike a licensing deal.