Activists in the U.S. are asking authorities to break Gilead’s patents on Truvada in an effort to help end the HIV epidemic. Now, a court in the U.K. has done just that, potentially allowing for widespread use of generics as a pre-exposure prophylaxis.

The U.K.’s High Court overturned a patent extension for Truvada, meaning “that unbranded versions of the drug can be legally prescribed,” National AIDS Trust chief executive Deborah Gold said in a statement.

She added that the development “represents a huge cost saving to buying a drug that would save public money, even at full price.” National AIDS Trust is calling on NHS England to fund the medicine by April 2019, arguing that a current trial program isn't reaching everyone at need.

A Gilead spokesperson told pharmaphorum that the company is disappointed with the decision and will appeal. Teva, Accord, Lupin and Mylan brought the patent challenge.

Truvada's EU patent expired last year, according to the company’s annual SEC filing. Gilead secured supplementary protection certificates in several countries, which have come under legal challenges. Read more via FiercePharma