Approved by the FDA new drug against HIV

It is used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs
The Food and Drug Administration, (FDA), approved on Friday a new drug to treat infection with HIV. The drug company
Johnson & Johnson, is designed to be used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs in HIV-positive adults who have not received treatment.
The rilpivirine, once a day, block reproduction of HIV and reduce the level of virus in the blood. Approved by the U.S. government based on the results of clinical trials in more than 1,300 adults with HIV ....
In tests, patients received either rilpivirine or efavirenz, a drug previously approved by the FDA in combination with other antiretroviral drugs, a regimen known as highly active antiretroviral therapy. The test results indicate that the substance rilpivirine was as effective as efavirenz substance to reduce the viral load, said the FDA. After 48 weeks of research, 83% of patients rilpivirine had undetectable levels of HIV in their blood compared with 8% treated with efavirenz.
Patients with higher viral load at the beginning of the survey were less likely to respond to rilpivirine compared with patients who had lower viral load. In patients with higher viral load efavirenz acted better. Patients who have failed treatment with rilpivirine also developed greater resistance to the drug compared with patients receiving efavirenz.
However, patients were more likely to flee from the trials because of side effects if taking efavirenz. The most common side effects of rilpivirine as reported by patients was depression, insomnia, headache and rash.

Posted by 9MOHAMED0 on Thursday, May 26, 2011