Abbott HIV drug gets EU approval

A new formulation of Abbott Laboratories’ Kaletra, a protease inhibitor used for the treatment of HIV, has received marketing authorisation from the European Commission.

The new Kaletra formulation is designed to allow patients to take fewer pills, with or without food. Despite the fact the dosage has remained unchanged, the new formulation should be taken four times a day, as opposed to six times a day with previous formulations. This is enabled by the use of Meltrex technology, which is an extended release technology designed to disperse the drug steadily over time.

Furthermore, users are no longer required to refrigerate the pills.

Dr Martin Fisher, consultant physician in HIV and genitourinary medicine at Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals, remarked: “Kaletra is a proven HIV treatment, and this new and more convenient tablet formulation is welcomed by both physicians and patients.”

Scott Brun, the divisional vice-president of infectious disease management at Abbott, stated: “The tablet formulation of Kaletra is another example of Abbott’s continued commitment to offering the next step in simple, safe and effective treatments for the HIV community.”

Abbott claims to have been a leader in HIV/Aids since 1985, when the details of the disease were becoming clearer. It also says it introduced the first licensed test to scan for HIV antibodies.

Kaletra is prescribed as a first-choice protease inhibitor for the treatment of HIV in the US. The drug comprises lopinavir and ritonavir, both types of protease inhibitors.

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