500mg saquinavir (Invirase) approved in Europe

15 June 2005. Related: Antiretrovirals.

European marketing approval for Roche’s new 500 mg formulation of Invirase (saquinavir) was announced on 27 May 2005. The new 500 mg tablet reduces the daily tablet count, compared to old formulations of saquinavir, from five tablets twice-daily to two tablets twice-daily.

Invirase is approved for use in combination with a low dose ritonavir and other antiretroviral drugs, in both treatment naïve and treatment experienced patients.

Invirase 500 mg should be available for patients in the UK within a month.

The 200 mg formulation of Invirase will remain available for those patients who want to continue to use it.