New data for Viracept as first-line therapy

New data for Pfizer's protease inhibitor Viracept (nelfinavir), whichreinforces the benefit of the drug as a first-line therapy for HIV infection, have been presented at the 5th International Workshop on HIV Drug Resistance and Treatment Strategies in Arizona, USA.

The SWATCH study, which was designed to evaluate treatment switching, highlighted the ability of Viracept to reduce the levels of HIV in the blood within first-line therapy, and also demonstrated that the drug had similar efficacy and tolerability to Merck & Co's Stockrin (efavirenz) with the increased likelihood of successful salvage therapy with other protease inhibitors.