Japan Tobacco and its Torii Pharmaceutical subsidiary are planning to launch the two anti-HIV drugs, Emtriva (emtricitabine) and Truvada (emtricitabine and tenofovir), which they license from Gilead Sciences, in Japan on April 19.

The Japanese companies say the Japanese government approved the importing of these two products last month and that they were listed on the country’s National Health Insurance price listing on April 6.

In July 2003, JT signed a licensing agreement with Gilead for the commercialisation of three anti-HIV drugs including Emtriva and Truvada in Japan. The other drug covered by the agreement, Viread (tenofovir), was launched in April last year.