Current Affairs Czech scientist unveils "revolutionary" new AIDS drug

HIV virus Norbert Bischofberger: Viread, which was first synthesised and discovered in the Czech Republic at the Academy [of Sciences], was approved on October 26th by the U.S. FDA [Food and Drug Administration] for the treatment of HIV infection. Overall it's a great improvement for AIDS patients because it's convenient, it's one pill, once daily, the drug has a nice resistance profile and it is very potent. Our drug is active against viruses that are otherwise resistant to nucleosides, protease inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors. And this will provide an option for patients that don't really have any other options left.

Radio Prague: Who carried out the testing?

NB: The chemical synthesis was done here at the Academy by Dr Holy, the first in-vitro, inter-viral testing was carried out by Dr de Clerk, who is at the Riga Institute in Leuven, Belgium, and all the clinical development was carried out by Gilead Sciences, which is a company headquartered in Foster City, California.

RP: How long did it take to develop this drug, and how long will it take to make it available to patients?

NB: The time from the first human clinical study to approval in the United States took approximately five years, which is very rapid for new medicines. The drug is available now in pharmacies in the United States; we hope it will be available in the European Union early next year. We're also actively pursuing additional filings in major markets like Australia, Canada, Switzerland, Brazil and Argentina. I hate to talk in superlatives, but this drug is clearly a big improvement in AIDS drugs, and it will make a big difference for AIDS patients and their physicians.

The Vice President of the Gilead Sciences drug company, Norbert Bischofberger, speaking to Radio Prague's Lucie Mouckova about the new Viread AIDS drug.