Merck Isentress HIV Pill Wins Approval In Europe

Merck & Co. won European Union clearance to sell its HIV pill Isentress for use in combination with other AIDS medicines.

The approval permits marketing of the drug in the 27 EU countries along with Norway and Iceland, Whitehouse Station, New Jersey-based Merck said recently in a statement on Business Wire. Isentress was cleared in the U.S. on Oct. 12.

Isentress is the first of a class of AIDS medicines called integrase inhibitors. The medication uses a different way from other drugs to block the HIV virus from inserting its genetic material into human DNA, allowing replication. Studies have shown the medicine helps patients with resistant strains of HIV when used in combination with other drugs.

Isentress was also approved earlier this year in Mexico and Canada.

SOURCE: Merck & Co.