Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2002. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
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Wall Street Journal - September 30, 2002
Gautam Naik Staff Reporter of The Wall Street Journal
The study, sponsored by the British drug maker and presented at a conference in San Diego, California, showed that a once daily dose of Valtrex cut transmission of symptomatic genital herpes -- a visible outbreak, such as a sore -- by 77% in heterosexual couples. The study included 1,484 couples, half of whom were given Valtrex, while the others were given a placebo.
Genital herpes is a contagious, sexually transmitted disease, caused by two types of herpes simplex viruses, known as HSV-1 and HSV-2. The virus never leaves the body and can cause recurring symptoms that include blisters and rashes in the genital area, the thighs and buttocks.
While it isn't a life-threatening disease, genital herpes is a common affliction. About 22% of adult Americans and 15% of adult Europeans are believed to be infected with HSV-2, according to the World Health Organization. And in the U.S., more than one million new infections of HSV-2 occur each year, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Most infected people are unaware they harbor the virus.
In the U.S., "we have a big problem on our hands because doctors aren't getting it right" in advising patients to reduce transmission rates, said Stephen Sacks, infectious-disease specialist at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, and an investigator for the study.
HSV-2 is an even bigger public health worry in parts of the developing world because it is believed to facilitate the transmission of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Some African countries have HSV-2 infection rates of 70% or more in the adult population.
Valtrex is currently approved for the treatment of sores associated with genital herpes, but not for reduction of the virus's transmission.
GlaxoSmithKline said that it plans to seek regulatory approval that would also enable it to market the drug on the basis of its ability to reduce virus transmission. In the second quarter, Valtrex brought in revenue of ú105 million ($163.2 million or Ç167.1 million), of which ú68 million originated in the U.S., according to GlaxoSmithKline.
Write to Gautam Naik at gautam.naik@wsj.com
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