FDA approves new HIV drug

[xchrom]

http://www.nationofchange.org/fda-approves-new-hiv-drug-1376650574



A new HIV drug is on the market. On Monday, the FDA approved Tivicay, a drug to help treat HIV-infected adults and children. The new drug is an integrase strand transfer inhibitor, which is designed to block intesgrase (an HIV enzyme) and prevent HIV from replicating, according to the FDA’s press release.

Tivicay, manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, is a daily pill that can be taken in combination with other antiretroviral drugs—which works to suppress the HIV virus and stop its progression. The drug was approved for the use in a wide population of HIV-infected patients including adults who haven’t started a HIV regimen as well as infected adults who are under treatment, including those patients who are using other integrase strand transfer inhibitors, according to the FDA’s press release. Tivicay was also approved for the use of children 12 years of age or older who weigh at least 40 kilograms. But according to the FDA, children who have previously taken integrase strand transfer inhibitors are not approved to use Tivicay.

With more than 50,000 Americans who are infected with HIV per year with about 15,500 dying from the disease, according to a 2010 report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the FDA said that HIV-patients are in need of personal regimens that fit their conditions and needs and, therefore, the approval of new drugs is their main priority.

[pinto]

1. Kick.

Good to see another med approval, especially one that has such a broad range of recommended uses.