Ritonavir News and Research

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Ritonavir, also known as Norvir, is a type of medicine called a protease inhibitor (PI). PIs act by blocking protease, a protein that HIV needs to make more copies of itself. Ritonavir was approved by the FDA on March 1, 1996, for use with other antiretroviral agents in the treatment of HIV infection in adults and children 2 years of age or older. Ritonavir is now approved with other anti-HIV drugs in the treatment of HIV-1 infection in children in individuals over 1 month in age. Studies have shown that ritonavir works as a booster for some other PIs. Taking ritonavir makes it possible to take a lower dose of the other PIs. This medicine does not cure or prevent HIV infection or AIDS and does not reduce the risk of passing the virus to other people.

To fight Chinese outbreak, doctors deploy drugs targeting HIV, malaria and Ebola

As the scientific community scrambles to find a drug that can effectively treat tens of thousands of patients sickened by a new respiratory virus, they are trying some surprising remedies: medicines targeting known killers like HIV, Ebola and malaria.

13 Feb 2020

New drug delivery system could be a boon for those on a multi-drug regimen

Researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have developed a unique new multi-drug delivery system that could p-rove to be useful for persons who need to take several drugs in a day as part of a regimen.

23 Sep 2019

Getting right level of leptin may help protect cardiovascular health

Like that famous bowl of porridge, when leptin levels are "just right" they help protect our cardiovascular health, scientists say.

29 Oct 2018

FDA approves first vaginal ring contraceptive that can be used for one year

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Annovera (segesterone acetate and ethinyl estradiol vaginal system), which is a combined hormonal contraceptive for women of reproductive age used to prevent pregnancy and is the first vaginal ring contraceptive that can be used for an entire year.

10 Aug 2018

New HIV prevention guidelines from Canada released

New guidelines for Canada have been published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal online this week that outline the use of new anti-HIV medications among high risk populations who are at risk of contracting HIV from getting the dreaded infection. These new guidelines aim to provide the clinicians with resources and support he added.

27 Nov 2017

U.S. FDA approves updated labeling for pan-genotypic single tablet regimen for HCV/HIV co-infected patients

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved updated labeling for Epclusa (sofosbuvir 400mg/velpatasvir 100mg), the first all-oral, pan-genotypic, once-daily single tablet regimen (STR) for the treatment of adults with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, to include use in patients co-infected with HIV.

1 Aug 2017

New study proves that 'super-boosting' approach may help treat children co-infected with TB and HIV

The non-profit research and development organization Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative has released results of a study in South Africa that will make it easier for healthcare workers to treat children living with HIV who are co-infected with tuberculosis.

14 Feb 2017

Penn researchers pinpoint some effective HIV drugs in causing neuronal damage

Antiretroviral drugs have been life-changing therapies for HIV patients, but they can have significant side effects.

16 Dec 2016

Many Canadian territories restrict access to medications for treating hepatitis C, study finds

A study conducted by Canadian and Australian researchers shows that nearly everywhere in Canada, the provinces and territories impose obstacles to reimbursement of new direct-acting antivirals (DAA) to treat hepatitis C by because of their cost.

14 Oct 2016

Hitchhiking of drugs on incorrect targets can cause adverse side effects

It probably isn't surprising to read that pharmaceutical drugs don't always do what they're supposed to. Adverse side effects are a well-known phenomenon and something many of us will have experienced when taking medicines.

26 Aug 2016

VIEKIRAX and EXVIERA achieve high SVR rates in GT1 and GT4 hepatitis C virus infected patients

AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, today announced new real-world data showing 96 percent of genotype 1 (GT1) patients (n=486/505 assessable for analysis) and 100 percent (n=53/53) of genotype 4 (GT4) patients achieved sustained virologic response at 12 weeks post-treatment (SVR12).

15 Apr 2016

Patients with genotype 1 chronic HCV infection achieve high SVR rates with VIEKIRAX + EXVIERA

AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, today announced data showing that patients with genotype 1 (GT1) chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection who received the recommended regimen of VIEKIRAX (ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir tablets) + EXVIERA (dasabuvir tablets), with or without ribavirin (RBV), achieved high sustained virologic response rates at 48 weeks post-treatment (SVR48), regardless of the presence of baseline resistance-associated variants (RAVs).

15 Apr 2016

HCV patients with hepatocellular carcinoma history could re-develop illness during or after taking DAAs

Data from a new study show that patients with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) taking direct-acting antiviral treatments (DAAs), who have previously fought off hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most common form of liver cancer,1 had a 'high rate' of re-developing their illness.

13 Apr 2016

Studies offer alternative conclusions on efficacy of DAAs for HIV and HCV co-infected patients

Two separate studies presented today at The International Liver Congress 2016 in Barcelona, Spain have offered alternative conclusions regarding the efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) among patients co-infected with HIV and Hepatitis C virus (HCV).

13 Apr 2016

MPP signs licensing agreement with AbbVie to address future demands for HIV treatment in Africa

The Medicines Patent Pool today announced a new licensing agreement with AbbVie, a global biopharmaceutical company, that seeks to address future demands for HIV treatment Lopinavir/Ritonavir (LPV/r) in South Africa and across Africa. The agreement has been reached in particular to help ensure sustainability of long-term supply of LPV/r, the most widely used second-line HIV treatment in South Africa and across Africa.

18 Dec 2015

XARELTO reduces rates of major bleeding, recurrent blood clots in people with deep vein thrombosis

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and its development partner, Bayer HealthCare, today announced the results from their real-world study XALIA showing that, in people with deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the rates of major bleeding and recurrent blood clots for XARELTO (rivaroxaban) in routine clinical practice were generally consistent with those observed in Phase 3 research.

7 Dec 2015

12 months of liquid formula HIV drugs protect breastfeeding babies against HIV infection

A study from four countries in Africa, published in The Lancet, shows that providing babies with up to 12 months of liquid formula HIV drugs, while breastfeeding with their HIV-positive mothers, is highly effective at protecting them from infection, including in the 6–12 month period after birth which has not been analysed in previous research.

20 Nov 2015

New drug combination may reduce need for complex regimens to treat hepatitis C

The prognosis for people with hepatitis C has improved dramatically in the last few years, thanks to the introduction of direct-acting anti-viral medications, including Harvoni (the brand name for a combination of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir) and Viekira Pack (a mix of ombitasvir, paritaprevir, ritonavir and dasabuvir).

19 Nov 2015

Study evaluates effectiveness of antiretroviral treatment in HIV-infected children

A study led by Louise Kuhn, PhD, professor of Epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health, evaluated whether HIV-infected children in South Africa who had achieved viral suppression with one antiretroviral treatment could transition to efavirenz-based therapy, the recommended drug for children older than 3 years, without risk of viral failure.

4 Nov 2015

Results from phase 3 women-only HIV study show improved safety, efficacy of Stribild drug

Results from the first phase 3 HIV study to enroll only women show improved safety and efficacy of the drug Stribild over multi-pill antiretroviral drug regimens. The research was presented at ASM's 55th Interscience Conference of Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC/ICC).

21 Sep 2015