Abbott Laboratories' protease inhibitor Norvir (ritonavir) can cut mortality in patients with advanced AIDS by 43%, according to data presented at the Third Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections in Washington DC, USA. This is the first time that clinical outcome data has been reported for an HIV combination therapy incorporating a protease inhibitor.
Details of the randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study were presented at the meeting by Andre Pernet, vice president of pharmaceutical R&D at Abbott Laboratories. The trial enrolled 1,090 patients at 67 centers in North America, Europe and Australia. 543 patients received ritonavir at a dose of 600mg bd while 547 patients received placebo, in addition to the nucleoside-based antiretroviral regimen they were taking prior to entry into the study. Patients were followed for up to seven months.
Top-Line Data 13% of the ritonavir-treated patients died or had disease progression (defined as the onset of a new AIDS-related illness), compared with 27% of those who received placebo, said Dr Pernet. The mortality rate among the protease inhibitor group was 4.8%, compared to 8.4% for placebo.
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