Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 1991. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
 |
Los Angeles Times (LT) - WEDNESDAY November 20, 1991; Edition: Orange County Edition Section: Business Page: 5 Pt. D Col. 5 Word Count: 381
GREGORY CROUCH; TIMES STAFF WRITER
Hungary's National Institute of Pharmacy in Budapest follows Ireland's health authority in allowing HIV-infected patients to be given ribavirin, also known by the trade name of Virazole. This approval comes 2 1/2 years after ICN ceased efforts to win permission from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for using Virazole for the treatment of those with human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV.
"We believe the authorization in Hungary is an important and significant step in that it shows another nation acknowledges the therapeutic usefulness of Virazole in the treatment of AIDS," ICN spokesman Jack Sholl said.
While the Dow Jones Industrial Average on Tuesday suffered a drop of 41.15 points to close at 2,931.57, Wall Street traders reacted positively to ICN's announcement. The company's stock rose $1.37 to close at $15.50 a share on the New York Stock Exchange. Several ICN-related companies also saw their stocks increase in value.
Nevertheless, some analysts cautioned against putting too much importance on Hungary's acceptance.
"They've had a lot of ups and downs around the world with that product," said Mark Matheson, research director at Newport Beach investment banker Cruttenden & Co. "Just because Hungary has approved it doesn't mean anybody else will."
Just last month, the company settled claims by the Securities and Exchange Commission--without admitting any wrongdoing--that it misled the public about ribavirin's efficacy in fighting HIV.
ICN said it has several pending applications to sell ribavirin for treatment of HIV patients in other European countries but would not identify them.
So far, the sale of ribavirin in Ireland has been sluggish, according to Sholl.
"It has been slow to become established in Ireland to this point, since there is a competitive drug (AZT) on the market there," Sholl added, while declining to provide specific sales figures.
Hungary based its approval, in part, on research conducted by a Budapest doctor, Ferenc Varnai.
About 20 HIV patients in a Varnai study were given 800 milligrams of ribavirin over a 16-week period. The condition of those patients did not worsen during the four-month clinical trial, according to Sholl. In fact, Sholl said, their T-cell count--a measure of the immune system's strength--actually improved.
Copyright © 1991 - Los Angeles Times. All rights reserved. Reproduced with permission. Reproduction of this article (other than one copy for personal reference) must be cleared through the Los Angeles Times, Permissions, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053. http://www.latimes.com.
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 UK, 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 1991. 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, 1991. 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. .