Maraviroc gets priority review in USA and EU

World drug giant Pfizer says that its novel HIV drug maraviroc has been accepted for accelerated review in both the USA and the European Union. If approved by regulators, the agent will be the first in a new class of CCR5 antagonists that work by blocking viral entry rather than fighting HIV once it is already inside white blood cells.

The US Food and Drug Administration's priority review process takes place within a six-month period from its December 2006 submission. An FDA Advisory Panel is scheduled for April 24, and the firm has begun pursuing regulatory approval for the agent in other markets.