Boehringer Ingelheim says HIV drug works in children

Boehringer Ingelheim has revealed the details of a new study into the use of tipranavir, an anti-HIV drug, in children infected with the HIV virus.

Tipranavir, marketed by the company as Aptivus, was tested using an investigational oral solution in combination with ritonavir in HIV-1-positive children aged between two and 18 years.

Patients demonstrated a reduction in viral load, reduced to an undetectable level in 34.5 per cent in those receiving the lower of the two trial doses and 35.1 per cent in subjects taking the higher dose.

Additionally, both doses enabled improvements in patients’ CD4 T-cell counts, which often become very low due to the destructive effects of the HIV virus.

Pedro Cahn, director of Fundacion Huesped, Buenos Aires, stated: “A significant need exists for paediatric formulations of antiretroviral drugs, especially for treatment-experienced children who have limited options for constructing an active and durable treatment regimen.”

“We now have evidence that tipranavir oral solution, in combination with other antiretroviral medications, may be useful for this paediatric patient population,” he added.

Tipranavir has already received marketing authorisation in the EU for the treatment of adults, while Boehringer Ingelheim said it hopes to file an application for its paediatric formulation.

Of the 2.8 million killed last year through Aids, approximately 500,000 were children under 15-years-old, while an estimated 700,000 children were infected with HIV during 2005, according to Avert, the international Aids charity.

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