March 2005

Contents

Editorial

• Volume 6 Number 2/3 February/March 2005

Treatment alerts

• Important new pharmacokinetic data demonstrating that atazanavir sulfate (Reyataz) combined with ritonavir (Norvir) and proton pump inhibitors should not be coadministered

Conference reports

• 7th International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection (ICDTHI), 14-18 November 2004, Glasgow

• Nandrolone decanoate combats HIV-related weight loss: results from three randomised studies

• Atazanavir boosts intracellular saquinavir levels: data on important new dual-boosted regimen

• Marked variability in plasma atazanavir levels: importance of ritonavir boosting and TDM

• Effective switching to atazanavir/ritonavir in clinical practice

• Ritonavir boosting may not overcome interaction between atazanavir and nevirapine

• Nevirapine associated adverse events in a cohort of pregnant women

• Higher nevirapine doses for children leads to better outcome

• TDM in Ugandan study highlights importance of refridgerated ritonavir

• Responses to TB treatment in HIV positive and HIV negative patients in the UK

• 800mg efavirenz may not be needed with rifampicin-based TB regimens, especially in African patients

• EuroSIDA shows HIV-HCV coinfected patients more likely to stop HAART because of side effects

• Lower d4T dose maintains virologic suppression and CD4 increases

Antiretrovirals

• Widespread adoption of post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) recommended in US

• European Approval For Kivexa (abacavir/3TC)

• 500 mg saquinavir (Invirase) approved in US

• Indinavir not recommended in pregnancy due to reduced pharmacokinetic levels

Treatment access

• Community advocates meet with Indian generic companies: 2nd World CAB meeting

• AIDS activists concerned over drug prices post-patent

• India’s choice: editorial from NY Times

• Ranbaxy files three generic ARVs with US FDA

• FDA approves generic AZT/3TC/NVP fixed dose combination

• Treatment Access Campaign (TAC) awarded punitive costs in case against Minister of Health

• GSK grants license to Cipla in South Africa

PK and drug interactions

• Interactions between African herbal medicines and ARVs

Other news

• Free illustrated HIV guide for GPs and other primary care workers

• ARV drug recycling project in UK

• First pharmacogenomic CYP450 test designed for clinic use

On the web

• Role of HIV drug resistance testing in antiretroviral drug development

• Medscape full-text articles and guidelines

PDFs

• Volume 6 Number 2/3 February/March 2005 PDF