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Treatment for Drug-Resistant HIV Developed

Posted on: Wednesday, 2 August 2006, 21:01 CDT

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the first treatment for drug-resistant human immunodeficiency viruses.

The approval followed development by a Purdue University researcher of a molecule that resulted in the pill-based therapy.

There are many treatments for AIDS on the market, but none are able to combat drug resistance, said Arun Ghosh, a professor with a dual appointment in the departments of chemistry and molecular pharmacology.

Ghosh's molecule, TMC-114 -- also known as Darunavir -- was approved for medical use and is expected to be available to physicians this year.

Earlier research showed nearly half of HIV patients who initially respond to treatment develop drug-resistant strains and stop responding within eight to 10 months, he said.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the first reported U.S. cases of AIDS, an HIV-caused disease that claims the lives of more than 15,000 Americans each year. The World Health Organization estimates more than 40 million people worldwide are infected with HIV.

The research will be detailed in the Aug. 24 issue of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and is currently available at the journal's Web site.

Source: United Press International

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