Gilead HIV combo warning
Executive Summary
Triple nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor regimen containing Gilead's Viread (tenofovir), GlaxoSmithKline's Epivir (lamivudine) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's Videx (didanosine) "is not recommended when considering a new treatment regimen for therapy-naïve or experienced patients with HIV-infection," a Gilead "Dear Doctor" letter sent Oct. 14 says. The combination therapy was associated with a "high rate of early virologic failure and emergence of NRTI resistance associated mutations" in a clinical study. A recent GSK "Dear Doctor" letter warned against use of therapy combining GSK's Ziagen (abacavir), Viread and Epivir (1"The Pink Sheet" Aug. 4, 2003, In Brief)...