Surprising Results for Gilead’s AIDS Drugs

This sounds pretty impressive:

Two studies released Wednesday show AIDS drugs can sharply reduce the risk of heterosexuals acquiring HIV, adding to a growing number of new methods to slow the spread of the virus world-wide.

Many researchers now believe science has developed sufficient tools to contain the pandemic, which is thought to infect about 2.6 million people annually. But tight budgets may limit deployment of these methods.

The results are the latest to demonstrate that existing medications are an important tool for prevention as well as treatment of HIV/AIDS, and show their effectiveness in the population hit hardest by HIV globally—heterosexuals in Africa. The findings also are likely to help alleviate concerns that emerged in April after another study was unable to determine whether the drugs protected women at high risk.

Both of the new studies, conducted in different African countries, found that giving antiretroviral drugs to heterosexuals reduced the risk of HIV infection by at least 62%—”which is huge,” said Jared Baeten, co-chairman of one of the studies, led by researchers at the University of Washington International Clinical Research Center.

That study examined 4,758 heterosexual couples in Kenya and Uganda in which one partner had HIV and the other didn’t. Researchers found that those who received a daily dose of a drug called tenofovir had an average of 62% fewer infections than those taking a placebo, while those who received a drug combining tenofovir and another medication, emtricitabine, had an average of 73% fewer infections. The drugs, marketed by Gilead Sciences Inc. under the brand names Viread and Truvada, respectively, are thought to work by preventing the virus from replicating and establishing an infection.

The study, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, wasn’t supposed to end until late 2012. But after reviewing partial results, an independent data and safety monitoring board decided Sunday to halt the trial early because the findings were so strong, Dr. Baeten said.

Posted by on July 13th, 2011 at 2:46 pm


The information in this blog post represents my own opinions and does not contain a recommendation for any particular security or investment. I or my affiliates may hold positions or other interests in securities mentioned in the Blog, please see my Disclaimer page for my full disclaimer.