New Drug Approved To Treat HIV

Tivicay (dolutegravir) has been approved by the
United States Food and Drug Administration to
treat infection with HIV-1, a strain of the virus
that causes AIDS.
The drug, among a class called integrase strand
transfer inhibitors, interferes with an enzyme that
HIV needs to multiply.
It's been approved in combination with other
antiretroviral drugs and for people aged 12 and
older who weigh at least 40 kilograms
(approximately 88 pounds), the FDA said in a
news release.
Some 50,000 Americans acquire HIV infection
each year, and about 15,500 people died from the
disease in 2010, the agency said, citing the US
Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.
The drug's safety and effectiveness were
evaluated in clinical studies involving more than
2,500 adults and children, the FDA said.
The most common side effects included difficulty
sleeping, headache and more serious problems
including allergic-like reactions and abnormal
liver function in people who had hepatitis B or C.
Tivicay is produced by GlaxoSmithKline, based in
Research Triangle Park, N.C.