Drugmakers GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer cemented their local Russian foothold on Wednesday as their HIV joint venture ViiV agreed to launch manufacturing in partnership with Russian drugmaker Binnopharm. The move comes after a dozen international pharmaceutical companies pledged to invest more than $1 billion in Russia to gain a local presence in the country -- which wants to reduce dependence on imported drugs. Binnopharm, a Zelenograd, Moscow-based unit of Russian oil-to-telecoms conglomerate Sistema , will begin with the local secondary manufacture of ViiV drugs, including packaging, the companies said in a statement.
