The AIDS Institute, a national public policy research, advocacy, and education organization, is encouraged with the FDA's approval of the first new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) in nearly a decade.
TMC125/etravirine was developed by Tibotec Pharmaceuticals, Ltd. and will be marketed in the U.S. by Tibotec Therapeutics as Intelence(R), a division of Ortho Biotech Products, L.P. The company announced introductory pricing for the new NNRTI at $21.80 per day, which is substantially lower than other recently introduced antiretrovirals.
In a Title II Community AIDS National Network release dated January 19, 2008, Dr. Donna Christian-Chistensen, Chair of the Congressional Black Caucus Health Brain Trust stated: "The efficacy that Intelence (TMC125/etravirine) has shown in the DUET studies is impressive. Intelence is an important new HIV medication that, for the first time, re-opens the NNRTI class to patients with NNRTI-resistant virus. We applaud Tibotec for its efforts to make this innovative new medication available and accessible to people living with HIV."