GlaxoSmithKline joins Aids fight

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the drug company giant, has joined other pharmaceutical companies along with the White House, US state department, Unicef and UNAids in an attempt to help children with Aids in developing countries.

The united group is aiming to maximise the use and impact of the currently available liquid medicines as well as develop new treatments for those children affected by Aids in the developing world.

“In developing countries, 50 per cent of children infected by HIV will die before the age of two if they do not have access to Aids treatments,” said Chris Viehbacher, president of US pharmaceuticals for GSK.

“Even though the paediatric liquid formulations of our key Aids medicines are available at a not-for-profit price in the world’s poorest countries, experience has taught us that many barriers remain in the way of increasing access to those medicines. We hope that the development of the scored tablets will facilitate access to AIDS treatment.”

The company is currently involved in tests and studies looking at more than 6,000 patients in 13 developing countries. GSK hopes to help the problem by addressing treatment and prevention at the same time ? namely by reducing new infections from mother to newborn child.

© Adfero Ltd