A first integrase inhibitor to combat HIV

[22 January 2008 - 14h55]
[mis à jour le 22 January 2008 à 16h37]

The European Commission and the French Health Product Safety Agency (the AFSSaPS) have just authorised the marketing of raltegravir (Isentress®). This is the first of a new class of anti-HIV drugs known as integrase inhibitors. Along with protease and inverse transcriptase – integrase is one of 3 enzymes that are absolutely essential for HIV to reproduce in the body.

In fact, integrase is supplied by the virus itself, which uses it to facilitate integration of its own DNA into healthy body cells.

By inhibiting integrase and disturbing (its) integration process”, the discoverers of raltegravir explain, the drug “hampers attempts by HIV to produce new and infectious viral particles. It is even capable “of preventing the spread of infection by HIV to other healthy cells.

The new drug will be prescribed “in association with other antiretroviral drugs in adult patients already being treated but whose viral load remains detectable under the current antiretroviral treatment. It will make it possible to reach the 3 enzymes involved in the replication of the virus and offer a possible remedy to patients who show resistance to current treatments. And there are many of these: according to American and British studies, resistance to at least one class of antiretroviral drugs can be as high as 76% of patients treated.

Source : MSD Press Conference, 22 January 2008

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