The HIV integrase inhibitorIsentress (raltegravir) was approved in the European Union today for use in combination with other antiretrovirals for treatment-experienced patients who have detectable viral loads despite ongoing antiretroviral therapy.
The approval of Isentress, developed and manufactured by Merck & Co., allows for access to the drug in the 27 European Union countries, as well as Norway and Iceland. It was approved earlier this year in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Isentress is a promising HIV drug for treatment-experienced patients with drug-resistant virus because it works differently than other available antiretrovirals. After HIV’s genetic material is deposited inside a cell, its RNA must be converted (reverse transcribed) into DNA. A viral enzyme called integrase then helps to hide HIV’s DNA inside the cell’s DNA. Once this happens, the cell can begin producing genetic material for new viruses. Integrase inhibitors, such as Isentress, are designed to block the activity of the integrase enzyme and to prevent HIV DNA from meshing with healthy cell DNA.
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Previous Comments:
comments 1 - 4 (of 4 total)
Chris, San Francisco, 2007-12-29 23:02:56
Hey Ken from Lauderhil, or anyone else taking Isentress, what's your experience with side effects on this med? Any lipo side effects or others you've experience so far?
peter abbott, san francisco, 2007-12-28 02:26:16
News about approval in the EU is interesting for me because I have coverage in Austria and have found in the past that Austria does its own approval process and sadly if they choose to "save" money, they don't even consider the approval process. So thus it is not approved. Expensive meds are thus kept out of the country or on self-pay.
Ken, Lauderhill FL, 2007-12-27 17:39:20
I started on Isentress the beginning of Oct 07 and in 30days of being on the med my viral load when undecided for the first time in 16yrs
Richard Dow, Nyack, NY 10960, 2007-12-26 13:42:31
Is Isentress approved for use in USA? In process? Or how soon might it be approved? Thanks R.
Beth Benne, RN, is HIV negative, but
the virus has impacted her life. She currently supervises a biannual HIV/AIDS awareness week as
the director of the student health center at Pierce College, a
community commuter school in Woodland Hills, California.
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Overheard in the Women's Forum
"I recently met a guy who is negative. I did tell him about my status and he decided to kiss me anyway (we didn't go further than that). But a day later, he called and said that he actually had a mouth ulcer that time when we kissed and he was very worried. Asked if he can get the virus from me that way. For that moment, I felt so insulted and yet I felt so bad. It was my first time having a contact with a "negative" guy."
