Fuzeon plus Prezista approved for HIV in EU

Swiss drug major Roche's fusion inhibitor, Fuzeon (enfuvirtide), has been approved in the European Union, together with Irish drugmaker Tibotec Pharmaceuticals' of Prezista (darunavir) for HIV. The firm explained that the proposed multidrug therapy, in which Prezista is boosted with 100mg of ritonavir, is intended for highly pre-treated HIV-1 infected patients who have failed one or more protease inhibitor-based therapeutic regimens.

Roche noted that Fuzeon and boosted Prezista give treatment-experienced patients a better chance of achieving an undetectable viral load than boosted Prezista alone. This crucial goal of therapy is associated with a better outlook but has, for a long time, been considered an unrealistic goal for patients with resistance to many HIV medications. "It is clear that in 2007 we are entering a new era where an undetectable viral load is the primary objective for all treatment-experienced patients," said Anton Pozniak, consultant physician, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London, UK.

The boosting of PIs is a therapeutic strategy where a small dose of ritonavir pharmacologically enhances exposure to a co-administered PI through the inhibition of the enzyme cytochrome P450. Ritonavir boosting results in increased drug levels that can improve efficacy, decrease pill burden, add flexibility to the dosing and remove fasting restrictions.