DuPont Merck's Sustiva, New Findings

A single daily dose of DuPont Merck's investigational antiretroviralSustiva (efavirenz, also known as DMP 266) combined with Merck & Co's protease inhibitor Crixivan (indinavir) may be as effective as three- or four-drug anti-HIV cocktails, according to data presented to a scientific meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America in San Francisco.

Preliminary data show that Sustiva may help deal with resistance problems among patients. After 48 weeks of treatment, virus levels were undetectable in the bloodstreams of about 80% of the 59 patients involved in the trial, an equivalent success rate to drug cocktails.

Sustiva was originally developed by Merck & Co, but abandoned earlier this decade. DuPont Merck began development of the drug and has recently revealed that it has started an expanded access program for the drug in the USA to patients who have limited therapeutic options.