FDA Approves an AIDS Drug From Vertex

Wall Street Journal (04/19/99) P. B2;
Johannes, Laura

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted on Friday marketing authorization to Vertex Pharmaceuticals for Agenerase, the fifth drug targeting HIV's protease enzyme that has been approved for the treatment of AIDS. Vertex developed the drug, which will be marketed by Glaxo Wellcome, using technology licensed from Monsanto's G.D. Searle unit. One advantage of Agenerase over other approved protease drugs is that patients need take it only twice a day, rather than three times a day; but users must consume eight pills of Agenerase at each sitting, compared to two to six when using the other drugs.

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