GLAXOSMITHKLINE is pinning the future of its HIV business on an audacious bet: upending the decades-old treatment strategy that has turned a fatal illness into a chronic condition.The treatment of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, has changed little since the mid-1990s, when the introduction of a new class of drug dramatically improved HIV therapy.Doctors found that combining the newer type of antiretroviral drug with two drugs from an earlier class hindered the virus from developing resistance. A three-drug regimen has remained the standard approach since then, with drug development efforts focused on making ever more powerful triple combinations.Glaxo executives want to change that. They hope the UK-based drug company’s latest HIV pill is powerful enough to suppress the virus with the help of just one other drug. That, according to chief executive Andrew Witty, would be a "game-changer", because taking fewer drugs would produce fewer side effects.Now, Glaxo’s majority-owned HIV bus...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.