maraviroc

* Maraviroc plus FTC plus TDF placebo orally once daily

What's more, blocking the receptor with the CCR5 antagonists Maraviroc and Vicriviroc, two drugs that slow down the spread of the HIV virus by targeting the CCR5 co-receptor of the chemokine CCL5, also prevents migration and spread of breast cancer cells, the researchers found.

ART DRUGS Category I Stavudine (d4T) * NRTI--thymidine base Zidovudine (ZDV) * Category II Didanosine (ddI) * ([dagger]) NRTI--other Lamivudine (3TC) * Emtricitabine (FTC) Abacavir (ABC) * NtRTI Tenofovir (TDF) ([dagger]) Category III Nevirapine (NVP) * NNRTI Efavirenz (EFV) ([paragraph]) Etravirine (ETR) ([section]) Category IV Ritonavir (RTV) * PI Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/RTV) * Saquinavir (SQV) Indinavir (IDV) ([dagger]) Darunavir (DRV) ([section]) Atazanavir (ATV) ([dagger]) Fosamprenavir (FPV) Category V Raltegravir ([section]) Integrase inhibitors Category VI Maraviroc ([section]) CCR5 inhibitors * Available in paediatric formulations.

Most currently approved antiretroviral drugs, with the exception of enfuvirtide and maraviroc, target the HIV viral enzymes.

Two trials involving more than 1,000 patients have shown Maraviroc, when combined with existing treatments, can almost double the chance of reducing HIV to undetectable levels.

Among its major new product opportunities are Exubera, an inhaled insulin; Sutent for cancer; Champix for smoking cessation; Maraviroc for HIV/AIDS, and other treatments for obesity, arthritis, heart disease and cancer.

The companies presented research at a medical meeting in Los Angeles showing each of the drugs-Pfizer's maraviroc and Isentress from Merck--was more effective for long-time HIV patients than app roved medications when used in combination therapy with older treatments.

On the fifth day of taking maraviroc plus Combivir the patient developed rash and fever, and maraviroc was discontinued.

Patients without a genotyping test performed in the 18 months prior to DRV-based therapy and those who received etravirine, tipranavir, maraviroc or vicriviroc concurrently with DRV were excluded, as these drugs were not then available through the Brazilian Public Health Care System.

Falling into the first category, the CCR5 antagonist maraviroc thwarts HIV infection at an earlier step in the viral replication cycle than reverse transcriptase inhibitors like TDF and ETC.

(37,38) The CCR5 inhibitor maraviroc will probably have limited use in South Africa since it is only effective in patients who are CCR5-tropic and requires an expensive tropism assay prior to initiation.