"Herpes Drug Displays Role Against AIDS"

Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

"Herpes Drug Displays Role Against AIDS"

Wall Street Journal (12/30/91), P. A3
Horwitz, Tony

Abstract: A combination of drugs including a herpes treatment has been found effective in prolonging life for people with AIDS, according to British doctors and the drug's manufacturer. The drug, acyclovir, is manufactureed by Wellcome PLC's Wellcome Foundation Ltd. unit, a London-based pharmaceuticals company, but marketed under presciption as Zovirax. In double-blind clinical tests of 300 patients with advanced symptoms of AIDS in Britain, Germany, and Australia, it was found that, while 10 percent of AIDS patients given a combination of acyclovir and AZT died over a one-year period, 20 percent of those who received only AZT died over the same period. Dr. Paul Griffiths of London's Royal Free Hospital said that acyclovir appeared to slow cytomegalovirus, or CMV, the virus suspected of hastening the onset of full-blown AIDS. Acyclovir is already approved as a prescription drug. Wellcome spokeswoman Rosemary Hennings said, "we need to fully analyze the data" before determining the clinical tests' commercial impact.

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