Experimental HIV drug helps control virus

[Omaha Steve]

Full story: http://money.excite.com/ht/nw/bus/20060812/hle_bus-n12304464.html



Experimental HIV drug helps control virus

Saturday August 12, 9:39 AM EDT

TORONTO (Reuters) - An experimental HIV drug in a new class called integrase inhibitors helps control the virus well combined with other drugs commonly used in AIDS cocktails, its maker Merck and Co. (MRK) reported on Saturday.

The findings, to be presented at an international AIDS meeting, offer a potential new weapon in the growing armory of drugs that fight HIV. The drug mixtures can keep HIV patients healthy for years, although they are not a cure.

Merck said the drug, known by its experimental name MK-0518, worked as well as older drugs to suppress the AIDS virus when combined with Gilead Sciences' (GILD) tenofovir, known commercially as Viread and GlaxoSmithkline's (GSK) lamivudine, sold under the brand name Epivir.

They compared the new drug with a similar cocktail using Bristol Myer Squibb's (BMY) efavirenz, sold under the brand names Sustiva and Stocrin. For the study, 198 HIV-infected patients took one or the other mixture for 24 weeks.

[xchrom]

1. that's wonderful on the one hand --

but the world really needs a way to eradicate this virus.

it is unacceptable to simply control the virus -- the expense is simply too great.

[lindisfarne]

2. The headline is misleading. Results so far are inconclusive.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060812/ap_on_he_me/aids_study;_ylt=AogRvloFF61nkfmYN3T8dzas0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTA3b2NibDltBHNlYwM3MTY-

"The experiment, done in Africa, mainly showed that the
drug Viread is safe when used for prevention. Fewer people
given the drug caught the AIDS virus than those given dummy
pills, but so few in either group became infected that valid
comparisons cannot be made, scientists said."

Sorry - DU is splitting the link across 2 lines so you'll have
to cut and paste it.

[wiley]

4. Who is talking about the Gilead studies?

[wiley]

3. International AIDS Conference in Toronto

You can get daily headlines linked to the researchers' analysis at http://www.atdn.org (The Network). I like them because they're not picture,graphic or script heavy.kaisernetwork.org is the official conference communicator for podcasts, webcasts, e-mail, etc.

The Merck drug is going to be one of the superstars of the conference. Lots of stuff about vaccines by IAVI and other groups.

[OKthatsIT]

5. who makes money with a cure, anyway,,,that's not good Pharma

[Skittles]

6. you know it, OK

I am astounded the percentage of Americans who are always on one or several prescriptions

[BlueIris]

7. I hope everyone reads that Harper's article before getting too excited.

I still weep daily for those living with HIV.