Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
PRNewswire - January 28, 2000
"The addition of a protease inhibitor to our drug portfolio is representative of our long-term commitment to providing a full range of options to the HIV/AIDS community," said Prof. Rolf Krebs, Vice Chairman of the Board of Managing Directors of Boehringer Ingelheim. "In addition to bringing tipranavir to market, we will continue to pursue other HIV/AIDS treatments, and to study our existing anti-HIV agent VIRAMUNE in trials that are relevant to the community."
"We are very pleased to have Boehringer Ingelheim as a partner to continue the development of this very important investigational drug. We have built a strong relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim through our joint development and marketing of MIRAPEX, and we are confident that this agreement will expedite the development of tipranavir," said Goran Ando, Executive Vice President and President of Research and Development of Pharmacia & Upjohn. "We strongly believe that this agreement is the best option for the future of the product and is in the best interest of patients."
Tipranavir is the first in a new class of non-peptidic protease inhibitors for the treatment of HIV/AIDS. It has a different structure than other currently available protease inhibitors. Results of an in vitro study suggest that tipranavir is active against strains of HIV resistant to current peptidic protease inhibitors. More in vitro studies are planned to help clarify the nature and likelihood of developing resistance to tipranavir.
Clinical trials to date have shown that tipranavir is generally well tolerated. The main side effects appear to be gastrointestinal, particularly diarrhea which was usually successfully treated with simple over-the-counter medication.
In the United States, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Roxane Laboratories, Inc., are building a strong portfolio of drugs for the treatment of HIV/AIDS and related disorders. Tipranavir demonstrates Boehringer Ingelheim's and Roxane Laboratories' commitment to the HIV patient population which has been established through both VIRAMUNE(R) (nevirapine)and MARINOL(R) (dronabinol). VIRAMUNE(R), which belongs to a class of drugs called non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), is a product of original research done at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals' Ridgefield, CT laboratories, and is marketed in the U.S. by Roxane Laboratories. Roxane Laboratories also markets MARINOL(R), a treatment for appetite loss or anorexia associated with weight loss in AIDS patients, through an agreement with Unimed Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Both Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Roxane Laboratories, Inc. are subsidiaries of Boehringer Ingelheim Corporation (Ridgefield, CT). The Boehringer Ingelheim group of companies, with headquarters in Ingelheim (Germany) is one of the 20 leading pharmaceutical corporations in the world. It reported revenues exceeding DEM 8.7 billion (US$ 4.97 billion) in 1998.
The corporation has more than 140 affiliated companies and it conducts business on every continent. Its product range is focused on human pharmaceuticals -- hospital, prescription and self-medication -- as well as animal health. Substantial research and development, production, and distribution facilities are located around the globe. In 1998 Boehringer Ingelheim spent DEM 1.6 billion (US$ 902 million) on R&D, equivalent to 18% of total sales.
Pharmacia & Upjohn is a global, innovation-driven pharmaceutical and health care company. Pharmacia & Upjohn's products, services and employees demonstrate its commitment to improve wellness and quality of life for people around the world.
For more information on Boehringer Ingelheim please see also the company's Internet webpage http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com and http://www.roxane.com.
SOURCE Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH International and Pharmacia & Upjohn
CONTACT: Jim Heins, Public Affairs of Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 203-798-4715, fax, 203-791-6442; Paul Fitzhenry of Pharmacia & Upjohn, 908-901-8770, fax, 908-901-1840; Maureen Byrne, 212-886-3312, Mobile, 201-362-9065, or Denise Connolly, 212-886-3117, Mobile, 917-678-9702, both of GCI Healthcare/
Web Site: http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/
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