[Fuzeon, first of the so-called "fusion inhibitor" drug in new class of AIDS treatments and its warnings].

Abstract

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved a new type of drug to treat advanced HIV-1 infection in adults and children six and older. The drug is called Fuzeon and it's the first of the so-called 'fusion inhibitor' drugs to be approved anywhere in the world. Fusion inhibitors work by inhibiting the fusion of viral and target cellular membranes, thus blocking the HIV ability to infect cells. Fuzeon's generic name is efuvirtide and it will be distributed by Roche Pharmaceuticals and Trimeris. Fuzeon is the first new class of AIDS treatment approved by the FDA in seven years. But Fuzeon will be expensive, maker sets a price of 20,000 US dollars a year, topping experts' estimated of 10,000 US dollars to 15,000 US dollars. In addition, the medication will come with a warning, its label will advise doctors to carefully monitor patients for signs of pneumonia. During the trial, more patients using Fuzeon can also cause severe allergic reactions, and skin reactions at the injection site occurred in almost all patients. Co-developed by Roche and Trimeris, a biopharmaceutical company, Fuzeon is expected to provide new hope to AIDS patients who have developed a resistance to existing medications.

• Authors: Takuma Hayashi
• Journal: Nihon rinsho. Japanese journal of clinical medicine (Nihon Rinsho) Vol. 63 Issue 1 Pg. 173-82 (Jan 2005) ISSN: 0047-1852 [Print] Japan
• PMID: 15675339 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Chemical References

• HIV Envelope Protein gp41
• HIV Fusion Inhibitors
• Peptide Fragments
• Enfuvirtide

Topics

• Animals
• Enfuvirtide
• HIV Envelope Protein gp41 (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• HIV Fusion Inhibitors (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Peptide Fragments (adverse effects, pharmacology, therapeutic use)