Atripla: New, Convenient HIV Medication Receives FDA Approval

July 17, 2006: The FDA approved a new HIV drug Wednesday, July 12, 2006, which could significantly decrease the inconvenience and confusion of people currently combining medications in HIV drug cocktails. Atripla, the first once-a-day HIV medication, combines three of the most frequently utilized drugs prescribed to people living with the virus.

Atripla contains a combination of the medications Sustiva (Bristol-Myers Squibb), Viread and Emtriva (both produced by Gilead) in one pill. These three medications represent the most frequently prescribed drug combo for HIV patients in the United States. This new medication can be taken once daily, alleviating the cumbersome process of taking several medications at different intervals.

One of the benefits expected of Atripla is a decrease in occurrence of missed a doses or medication errors that many people living with HIV experience with the current multiple drug, multiple dose HIV medication cocktails.

In a statement to reporters, U.S. FDA Deputy Commissioner Murray Lumpkin said, "it's one thing to have medicine available, but it will only be effective when people can indeed take it as they are supposed to."

If effective, Atripla should help to provide a simpler method of treating the virus. The convenience of the one a day, three medication single pill offered in Atripla is a far cry from the earlier HIV cocktails, many of which involved the taking of dozens of pills at varying times of the day, some with food and some on an empty stomach.

According to Norbert Bischofberger, the executive vice president in charge of research and development for Gilead, Atripla "is a really nice advance. You can't make it any simpler."

According to Biscofberger, other possible drug combination pills are in the works, as well.

The new HIV medication Atripla will help people living with the virus to simplify their medication regime.

Credit: Daniela Lenarcic

Copyright: SXC