![Pill_a_day_0](https://www.hivplusmag.com/media-library/pill-a-day-0.jpg?id=32676917&width=1200&height=800)
Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
The third time must be the charm for drugmakers Gilead Sciences and Bristol-Myers Squibb in their quest to craft a once-daily pill that contains a full antiretroviral regimen. After two unsuccessful attempts in 2005 to merge Gilead's Truvada'which itself is a combination of Emtriva and Viread'and BMS's Sustiva, company officials announced in January that a new technology enabled their third effort to succeed. They plan to file for Food and Drug Administration approval of the one-pill regimen this spring. In addition to the three-drug combination being recommended by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for treatment-naive patients, a study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that the combo leads to superior viral suppression with fewer side effects than a regimen including Combivir and Sustiva. BMS and Gilead announced the joint venture in December 2004, but the first two combinations they developed were not as powerful as the individual medications when dosed separately. Researchers finally settled on what's known as bi-layering technology'through which each drug is pressed onto the other. Antonio E. Urbina, a physician at St. Vincent's Comprehensive HIV Center in New York City, calls the potential once-a-day pill the 'holy grail of HIV treatment.' He and other HIV experts say that the fewer daily doses patients have to take, the more likely they are to adhere to their treatment properly. Studies have shown that adherence rates of 95% are needed to keep HIV in check and to avoid the development of drug resistance. Gilead executive vice president Norbert Bischofberger says the companies' one-pill regimen is a significant improvement over the earliest antiretroviral regimens, which 'were almost impossible to comply with in the long term. And now we're down to one pill, once daily,' he says. 'I think that's pretty impressive progress.'
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Before AIDS, gay artist Rex drew hot men on the prowl — then he disappeared
April 11 2024 3:15 PM
Diets that mimic fasting reverse aging: study
March 07 2024 5:28 PM
PrEP without a prescription now a reality in California
February 06 2024 8:37 PM
Injectable HIV treatment, prevention: Everything you need to know
March 26 2024 3:28 PM
8 dating tips for gay men from a gay therapist
March 21 2024 2:50 PM
Happy national foreskin day!
April 04 2024 1:45 PM
The science behind U=U has been liberating people with HIV for years
June 04 2024 3:31 PM
Scarlet fever: exploring our fascination with blood
March 13 2024 1:47 PM
On Anal Sex Day, crack up with The Bottom's Digest
April 18 2024 10:22 AM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
Activist and philanthropist Bruce Bastian dies at 76
June 26 2024 1:28 PM
Yes, HIV-positive people can safely breastfeed
June 26 2024 12:59 PM
Exclusive: We kiki with Q from 'RuPaul's Drag Race'
June 24 2024 11:37 AM
Court rules to keep PrEP coverage under Obamacare
June 21 2024 5:42 PM
In honor of Juneteenth 2024, meet The Normal Anomaly
June 19 2024 1:39 PM
What is Juneteenth?
June 19 2024 11:30 AM
As Pride party season begins, the CDC urges mpox vaccinations
May 16 2024 6:52 PM
Advocacy in action with AIDSWatch
May 09 2024 12:30 PM
The Talk: Thriving with HIV
May 08 2024 10:45 AM
The Talk: What HIV isn’t
May 07 2024 10:48 AM
The Talk: Finding balance with HIV
May 06 2024 10:51 AM
Justice Dept plans to reschedule marijuana as a lower-risk drug
May 03 2024 2:40 PM
The Talk: Starting your journey with HIV
May 03 2024 2:00 PM
Why is a mother’s mental health so important? A doctor explains
May 01 2024 1:38 PM
Walmart to close all of its health care clinics
April 30 2024 12:30 PM
Vampire facial spa infected several women with HIV
April 29 2024 7:26 PM