Those who are suffering from HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in developing countries have a good news.

Major Indian drug maker Matrix Lab on Friday signed an agreement with the Clinton Foundation, founded by the former US President, Bill Clinton, to provide drugs used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS at lower prices in the developing nations.

Announcing the deal, Clinton said: "The drugs will reach hundreds of thousands more people and save hundreds of thousands of more lives. This is a very big deal."

As per the deal, the cost-effective once-daily HIV/AIDS treatment regimen of four ARVs (anti-retrovirals) will be available for under $500 annually. The pills will be packaged in such a way that they can be taken once a day.

The deal also adds that the Hyderabad-based Matrix Labs, a subsidiary of the US drug firm Mylan Inc., will make available four drugs - tazanavir, ritonavir, tenofovir and lamivudine - in three pills. Tenofovir and lamivudine would be combined into a single pill. Apart from this, Matrix will also sell the pills together in one package at $425 annually starting in 2010.

Meanwhile, UNAIDS has welcomed the deal.

Commenting over the deal, Michel Sidibe, Executive Director of the Joint UN Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) said: "The reduction of prices of second line antiretroviral drugs will save lives."