Basel (CH), 16 February 2007. Today's conditional marketing authorisation in the European Union of the new protease inhibitor (PI) darunavir (boosted with ritonivir) provides physicians with the opportunity to build a potent new treatment combination with the fusion inhibitor, FUZEON. The combination of FUZEON and boosted darunavir has been shown to give treatment-experienced patients a better chance of achieving an undetectable viral load than boosted darunavir without FUZEON. This crucial goal of therapy is associated with a better outlook1 but has for a long time been considered an unrealistic goal for patients with resistance to many HIV medications.

"It is clear that in 2007 we are entering a new era where an undetectable viral load is the primary objective for all treatment-experienced patients," said Dr Anton Pozniak, consultant physician from the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, London. "The availability of new active therapies such a darunavir/r, in combination with FUZEON, gives patients a better chance of achieving this goal."

The growing body of evidence from studies such as TORO 1 and 2, RESIST 1 and 2, POWER 1 and 22 has prompted influential international guidelines to recommend combining drugs with a new mechanism of action such as FUZEON, with an active boosted PI, such as darunavir/r, as one of the best approaches to achieving an undetectable viral load in treatment-experienced patients. 3, 4, 5, 6 The consequences of maintaining a patient on a failing regime includes the emergence of drug resistance and the swift loss of much needed active treatments.

Dr Malte Schutz, International Medical Leader at Roche, further commented: "We welcome the European approval of Tibotec's drug, darunavir/r, and understand that this is an important development for patients faced with multiple drug resistance who are most in need of new treatment options."

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Contact: Peter Impey
peter.impey@ketchum.com
44-207-611-3589
Ketchum
16-Feb-2007