Merck/Gilead Once-A-Day AIDS Pill Not Available in Most Places - AHF Urges Speed-Up of Registrations

The once-daily HIV treatment would greatly increase effectiveness for patients, but Gilead Sciences and Merck and Co. have failed to register it in countries where it is needed most

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) today called on Gilead Sciences and Merck to immediately register and distribute the three-in-one, once daily lifesaving HIV treatment, Atripla, in developing countries. When Atripla first received approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July of 2006, advocates like AHF applauded the production of a single, once-a-day drug as a landmark

"This treatment is a standard therapy in the United States. It is on the World Health Organization's Essential Medicines List, and is an antiretroviral drug regimen that could greatly benefit patients everywhere while reducing costs in the long term," said Michael Weinstein, AIDS Healthcare Foundation President. "The fact that Gilead and Merck appear to be unable or unwilling to

The key value of an all-in-one, one pill per day HIV treatment regimen is the reduced pill burden required for patients. Currently, the most widely used regimen for treatment naive patients consists of a combination of at least two pills taken twice per day, often required to be taken with food and during mid-day hours. Atripla, however, only requires a single pill to be taken once

"As we have seen in many of our clinics, pill burden and side effects can be challenging for patients to become accustomed to, and they are among the primary reasons patients do not follow their treatment regimens," said Dr. Homayoon Khanlou, AIDS Healthcare Foundation's Chief of Medicine. "With a complete daily treatment regimen in one pill, the advantage goes much further

AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) is the nation's largest non-profit HIV/AIDS healthcare, research, prevention and education provider. AHF currently provides medical care and/or services to more than 61,000 individuals in 15 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean and Asia. Additional information is available at http://www.aidshealth.org .

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SOURCE: AIDS Healthcare Foundation

CONTACT: Ged Kenslea, Communications Director of AIDS Healthcare

Foundation, +1-323-860-5225, Mobile: +1-323-791-5526,

[email protected]/

Web site: http://www.aidshealth.org /

--Distributed by AsiaNet ( www.asianetnews.net )--

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