DNDi and Cipla advance development of pediatric 4-in-1 ARVs to fulfill new WHO guidelines

Immediate, expanded, and improved treatments needed for infants and toddlers with HIV

2013-06-30

(Press-News.org) The World Health Organization's new HIV treatment guidelines, released today at the 2013 International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference, include new antiretroviral (ARV) therapy (ART) recommendations for HIV-infected children, and will mean that more children will be on better treatments. The Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) applauds the new guidelines and, with Cipla Ltd. and other partners, is expediting the development of urgently needed 4-in-1 ARVs adapted for babies and toddlers with HIV, to be delivered by 2015.

The new 2013 WHO Consolidated Guidelines on the Use of Antiretroviral Drugs for Treating and Preventing HIV Infection were released today at the 7th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention. The updated guidelines call for immediate ART for all HIV-infected children under five years of age, regardless of clinical or immunological status, which will greatly broaden the pediatric HIV patient population on treatment and thus increase demand. Importantly, the guidelines also recommend the use of potent protease inhibitor-based first-line ARV regimens, ideally in a fixed-dose combination (FDC), for all children under three years old.

'The new international guidelines call for getting many more young kids with HIV on the best treatment with no delay', said Dr Bernard Pécoul, Executive Director of DNDi. ''We are reassured that the pediatric ARV formulation we are striving to deliver to babies and toddlers with HIV is completely aligned with the WHO's new recommendations.'

Welcoming the new international HIV guidelines, Dr Jaideep A Gogtay, Chief Medical Officer of Cipla, said, 'Cipla reinforces its commitment towards HIV/AIDS and will continue to develop novel and child-friendly formulations to ensure wider access of ARV drugs to HIV-infected children.'

An estimated 3.3 million children ( END

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DNDi and Cipla advance development of pediatric 4-in-1 ARVs to fulfill new WHO guidelines

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