Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2006. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
|
|
Washington Post (07.13.06) - Thursday, July 13, 2006
Marc Kaufman
"This is a landmark for those suffering with HIV and AIDS," said Andrew von Eschenbach, acting FDA commissioner. Noting that "compliance with therapy is as important as the therapy itself for a successful outcome," he said the single-dose medication, called Atripla, will likely help patients improve adherence. This, in turn, will help slow the development of community-wide resistance to AIDS drugs. "A single, fixed-dose pill has long been seen as the holy grail of AIDS treatment," said Murray Lumpkin, deputy FDA commissioner.
Atripla combines the two most-prescribed AIDS medications: Bristol Myers Squibb Co.'s Sustiva and Gilead Science's Truvada. The latter drug is itself a combination of two other Gilead treatments: Viread and Emtriva. Gilead said Atripla will cost about $1,100 per month, equivalent to the separate costs of Sustiva and Truvada. But the fact that Gilead will make the pill salmon-colored for US distribution and white for sale elsewhere suggests the two versions will be priced quite differently. Merck & Co. will set the price of Atripla in developing countries, where it markets Sustiva as Stocrin. Atripla will be manufactured in Canada.
John C. Martin, CEO of Gilead, said creating the single-pill version of the drugs was difficult: Five potential formulations failed before the successful one was found. "This is not simply a matter of putting together the three drugs. They have to be put together in a way that each reacts as it does when it's alone, and that can get complicated."
"We know that an HIV/AIDS patient needs to take 95 percent of his or her pills or they won't work," Martin said. "So the fewer pills a patient needs to take, the better the outcome."
060713
AD061238
Copyright © 2006 - Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD. The CDC National Center for HIV, STD and TB Prevention provides the following information as a public service only. Providing synopses of key scientific articles and lay media reports on HIV/AIDS, other sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis does not constitute CDC endorsement. This daily update also includes information from CDC and other government agencies, such as background on Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) articles, fact sheets, press releases and announcements. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC HIV/STD/TB Prevention News Update should be cited as the source of the information. Contact the sources of the articles abstracted below for full texts of the articles.
AEGiS is a 501(c)3, not-for-profit, tax-exempt, educational corporation. AEGiS is made possible through unrestricted funding from Boehringer Ingelheim, Bridgestone/Firestone Charitable Trust, Elton John AIDS Foundation, the National Library of Medicine, AIDS Walk of Orange County, and donations from users like you.
Always watch for outdated information. This article first appeared in 2006. This material is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between you and your doctor.AEGiS presents published material, reprinted with permission and neither endorses nor opposes any material. All information contained on this website, including information relating to health conditions, products, and treatments, is for informational purposes only. It is often presented in summary or aggregate form. It is not meant to be a substitute for the advice provided by your own physician or other medical professionals. Always discuss treatment options with a doctor who specializes in treating HIV.
Copyright ©1980, 2006. AEGiS. All materials appearing on AEGiS are protected by copyright as a collective work or compilation under U.S. copyright and other laws and are the property of AEGiS, or the party credited as the provider of the content.
.