New HIV Treatment Approved

It should come as no surprise that the development of treatments is an expensive and time-consuming process that can often prove fruitless for its intended purposes. This is particularly the case when it comes to HIV, where most of the research trends indicate that progess has been made in developing early testing equipment or deepening our understanding of the pathophysiology involved in the disease. This is why a recent approval of a novel treatment made us excited. Here we explain what is known to date about this treatment.

Although it was nearly ten years since it was initially trialled, GlaxoSmithKline continued to carry out several trials for the treatment in the hopes that it would be approved. The treatment, which goes by the name Tivicay, contains dolutegravir – which is a part of a group of drugs that are known as integrase strand transfer inhibitors. There already is a market for integrase strand transefer inhibitors, with raltegravir perhaps being the most obvious example. However, it is thought that dolutegravir differs from raltegravir in the way it targets so called integrase enzyme.

In contrast to some treatments, Tivicay can be taken once daily by adults at a range of stages in their treatment as well as children above the age of 12. It is also likely that it will be used in conjunction with other treatments. However, as with most treatments there are some side effects worth noting. So far, five of the largest trials of the treatment have indicated that insomnia and headaches were the most common symptoms. However, the trials also indicated that individuals with Hepatitis B or C showed abnormal liver function when using the treatment. It is currently not known whether ceasing the treatment reversed these symptoms.

We are always excited to hear about new treatments on the market, as it opens up the possibility to improve the management and treatment of various populations. In addition, we are always keen to see whether one drug can be used for multiple conditions. Based on what we know to date, it appears that Tivicay will have significant impact on the treatment of HIV. We look forward to finding out more about the treatment and its impact in the medical community. You can read more about Tivicay here.