Nine years after inking a marketing deal with Roche for Tamiflu, which has emerged as a frontline drug to prevent the spread of avian flu, Gilead Sciences says it wants the full rights to the drug back. Claiming that Roche has failed to market the drug as it had agreed, Gilead triggered a rare public rumble between two collaborators. Roche, which has struck $1.4 billion worth of supply deals with countries around the globe recently, rejected Gilead's claim and said it would continue to market and sell the drug. Analysts said it was unlikely that Gilead would succeed in regaining control of Tamiflu, but stood to benefit from a settlement of its grievance.
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