Abbott continues fight against HIV

Abbott has today announced FDA approval of a new tablet formulation of their antiretroviral medication Norvir. According to reports, the move will help Norvir - which is used in combination with other medications to treat HIV - to boost the fight against the disease.

The new tablets, which can be stored at room temperature and does not require refrigeration, will hopefully make treatment more convenient for patients. According to reports, while the new tablet and the Norvir soft-gelatin capsules both contain 100 mg of ritonavir, and the rate the drug is absorbed is different, Abbott say there is no requirement for dosage change. What's more, all forms of Norvir, including the soft-gel capsule and liquid form, will remain available in the US.

According to Scott Brun, MD, divisional vice president, infectious disease development, Global Pharmaceutical Research and Development at Abbott, "Norvir has been a critical component of HIV treatment for many patients. The innovation behind the development of the Norvir tablet is the direct result of years of effort by Abbott scientists to address the needs of people living with HIV.

"Abbott has been dedicated to finding new and more convenient ways for patients to manage their HIV through the development of novel diagnostics testing methods and medications for more than 20 years."

Heat stability

Under Abbott's Meltrex technology, a proprietary melt-extrusion process, the final Norvir tablet formulation is more heat stable than existing treatments - meaning it does not need to remain refrigerated.

What's more, scientists at Abbott are confident that the heat-stable tablet formulation may allow patients greater flexibility to store and carry their medication with them.

Abbott's contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS through the development of innovative tests and medicines have been well-documented over the last two decades or so. Notable contributions include:

• The first licensed test to detect HIV antibodies in the blood, developed by Abbott in 1985 The company remains a leader in HIV diagnostics today.
• In 1992, Abbott was the first company to receive FDA approval for an HIV diagnostic assay. Abbott retroviral and hepatitis tests are used to screen more than half of the world's donated blood supply.
• In 2000, Abbott received FDA accelerated approval for Kaletra.
• In 2005, the tablet form of Kaletra received FDA approval.
• In 2009, Abbott received approval from the FDA for its ABBOTT PRISM HIV O Plus test, the first fully-automated blood screening test for HIV-1/HIV-2.

Matthew Buttell

Matt Buttell graduated from Bath Spa University in 2006. Since then he has written for several publications, before moving to the web. He now writes solely for the internet, continuing to cover key business issues while managing his own personal blog.

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