New drug Maraviroc an alternative in the fight against HIV

An experimental AIDS drug appears to offer an alternative drug in the fight against HIV.

The drug Maraviroc is produced by drug giant Pfizer and fights HIV quite differently from older drugs in that it blocks the CCR5 co-receptor that serves as a main entry point for the virus into cells.

Maraviroc works not by attacking the HIV virus inside a patient's body but attacking the infected cells of the patient instead.

In trials with animals Maraviroc was better at suppressing the HIV virus when it was added to the best available drug regimens and did not increase lymphoma.

There also appeared to be no increased risk of cancers or heart problems in comparison with other forms of HIV treatment.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will ask an advisory panel meeting this week for advice regarding the possible need for special labeling and whether additional clinical trials should be performed to address specific safety issues.

It seems other experimental drugs in the same class are associated with risks such as lymphoma and liver damage and while Maraviroc did not increase lymphoma in the Pfizer studies there appeared to be a "modest" increase in liver-related abnormalities say the FDA reviewers.

Drug company Pfizer says the new drug has the potential to meet an urgent unmet medical need for new antiretroviral agents.