Glaxo's Ziagen, Combivir Drug
Combination Effective In Study
Dow Jones Newswires
SAN DIEGO -- A small study showed Glaxo Wellcome
PLC's (GLX) investigational anti-HIV drug Ziagen
combined with Combivir appears effective in reducing
viral load and increasing CD4 cell counts in patients who
previously received certain treatments.
In a press release Monday, Glaxo Wellcome said 28 of
39 patients, or 72%, had undetectable virus after
undergoing 16 weeks of treatment with Ziagen and
Combivir.
The patients had previously received treatment only with
monotherapy or combinations of certain nucleoside
analogue drugs, and in a few cases with certain
nonnucleoside inhibitors.
The median viral load of the 87 patients enrolled in the
study was initially 1,259 and median CD4 cell count was
506.
After 16 weeks of treatment with Ziagen and Combivir,
72% of patients had less than 400 viral copies and 54%
had less than 50 copies, Glaxo Wellcome said.
Glaxo Wellcome said median CD4 cell counts among
the patients rose to 536.
The preliminary data provides promise that the
combination of Combivir and Ziagen may effectively
supress HIV replication in patients who received
nucleoside analogues and may allow patients to preserve
future treatment options.
Nausea, malaise and fatigue, headache, vomiting and
diarrhea are the most commonly reported side effects
associated with Ziagen.
In a separate release Monday, Glaxo Wellcome and
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX) also reported a
triple therapy of Agenerase, Epivir and Retrovir
appeared effective in reducing viral load level below the
limit of detection of standard assays, of 400 copies/ml.
Glaxo Wellcome develops and markets pharmaceuticals.
|
