hiv

Science now seems close to winning the war against AIDS, as FDA approves of a new drug which has a different course of action as compared to the already existing ones. The new drug, known as ‘Isentress’ acts upon the HIV virus in a different manner which makes it an ideal drug of choice for patients who have developed resistance to current drugs in use or are affected by a drug-resistant strain of the virus.

Isentress was developed by Merck and Co. and belongs to a class of drugs that inhibit the action of Integrase- an enzyme used by the HIV virus to replicate. At the moment, the drug is approved only for use in patients who have already been undergoing treatment for the disease. The possibility of its use in new patients and children is yet to be assessed.

FDA’s decision to approve the drug was met with open arms among the medical fraternity as it offered new hope for patients on whom the current modes of treatment were not effective.

According to HIV experts, the mechanism of action of this new drug is a path-breaking and revolutionary finding. In combination with other drugs used in the treatment of HIV, Isentress is estimated to yield very promising results. At $27 per tablet, the drug may be a little steep on the pocket but then, what could possibly be more valuable than human life?

Via: CNN