Fuzeon Has Hit the US Market

The first drug in the long awaited new class of HIV medications has gained approval from the FDA. Fuzeon or T-20 as it has been know in trials is the first in the new class of HIV medications called entry inhibitors. While other HIV medications work after HIV has entered the cell, entry inhibitors prevent HIV from entering the cell at all. Experts believe that this represents a major breakthrough in the treatment of HIV and AIDS.

Fuzeon will be given in twice per day subcutaneous injections. Data shows that while 98% of all trial subjects had some type of localized injection site reaction, few had to stop the drug because of it. Fuzeon will be used in combination with other existing oral HIV medications. Data from the trials of Fuzeon indicate that regimen side effects were no more severe or prevalent with Fuzeon than in regimens without the new medication.

Because of its complex chemical structure, Fuzeon is very difficult to manufacture. Roche and Trimeris, the makers of the drug are now developing plans to assure that there will be plenty of drug available for patients to begin therapy and an uninterrupted supply once people have started. In Europe the price for Fuzeon has been set at over $20,000 per year. While the US price has not been announced experts believe that it will be close to the European price. Roche sites the complex manufacturing process as one reason for the steep cost.

Fuzeon Injection Instructions