Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:2.7.7.49 (reverse transcriptase)
 31,746 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Sustiva (DMP 266 or efavirenz) has been available on an expanded access program since October 1. Sustiva is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, has fewer side effects than other drugs of its class, and is taken once a day at bedtime. Criteria for the program are T4 counts under 50 in patients whose current therapy is not working. Adefovir dipivoxil (bis-POM PMEA or Preveon) is a nucleotide analog that is also available through an expanded access program. Adefovir's properties make it less vulnerable to resistance. It is not as potent as other drugs of the same class; however, its effect seems to last longer. It is also effective against some herpesviruses and hepatitis B. Contact information is provided for both programs.
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PMID:Expanded access programs. 1136 31

Merck Pharmaceuticals has relaxed the criteria for expanded access for efavirenz (Sustiva or DMP-266). Under the new guidelines, patients who have ever had a CD4 count below 400 can now participate; earlier guidelines limited the program to those with counts below 50 within the last 90 days. European entry criteria will change shortly. Efavirenz must be used in conjunction with another antiretroviral that the patient has not taken previously. The drug is not recommended for use as monotherapy, and patients who have failed on non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are less likely to benefit from Sustiva because of a common mutation. Contact information is given for enrolling in the program.
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PMID:Efavirenz (Sustiva) expanded access now to 400 CD4. 1136 52

Dupont Merck announced an expanded access program for Efavirenz (Sustiva, DMP 266). The non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor is taken just once a day, and 88 percent of people taking it in combination with indinavir achieved undetectable viral load. The program is open to people with CD4 counts below 400 who have no other viable treatment options. A contact telephone number is provided for further information.
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PMID:Efavirenz expanded access. 1136 75

As many as 25 to 45 percent of patients using triple therapy with protease inhibitors will develop resistance due to a change in the genetic HIV code. However, patients who develop resistance may still benefit clinically when protease inhibitors are used in combination with other antiretrovirals. These patients may not have undetectable viral loads although they may have stable T4-cell counts. Resistance does not always lead to disease progression. Newer drugs under development or available through compassionate track programs may benefit people with resistance. DMP-266 (Sustiva) is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that shows promise for these patients. Other drugs in development include Compound 141, 1592, and adefovir.
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PMID:Understanding and managing resistance. 1136 97

Studies of efavirenz (Sustiva, formerly DMP-266) in monkeys have shown newborn monkeys with abnormalities. Dupont Merck, the manufacturer of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, presented the information to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Although it is unknown if the risk exists in humans, the FDA warns that pregnant women should not use DMP-266.
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PMID:Safety alert issued on efavirenz (Sustiva). 1136 72

Phase III data show that efavirenz (Sustiva, formerly DMP-266) is effective in suppressing viral load when used in combination with other treatments. A head-to-head comparison trial in volunteers with little or no previous antiretroviral experience shows that efavirenz may suppress viral load as well as Indinavir (Crixivan). Efavirenz is an experimental non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), and widespread consensus seems to accept it as a valid treatment for AIDS. The most noteworthy trial result showed that using it in combination with AZT plus 3TC suppressed viral load to below 400 copies in a significant number of volunteers, with few patients dropping out. Viral load remains low at 72 weeks, but not much information is available on those patients who were more heavily pre-treated. Other combinations also appear effective. DuPont Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer, says common side effects include rash, nausea, diarrhea, headache, and insomnia, and cautions against widespread use in pregnant women. Efavirenz is unlikely to work in patients who have developed resistance to either Nevirapine or Delavirdine, two other NNRTI drugs.
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PMID:Efavirenz (Sustiva) may equal or exceed protease inhibitor in initial antiretroviral combination. 1136 99

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved DuPont Pharma's new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) efavirenz (Sustiva, DMP-266). Efavirenz has shown promise in trials with over 2000 participants for up to 24 weeks, and early data suggests it may be as effective as protease inhibitors when used in a combination regimen. It is the first anti-HIV drug approved for once-daily dosing. Efavirenz is well tolerated, and the main side effects reported are dizziness, insomnia, abnormal dreams, and skin rash. Efavirenz has been approved for adults and children, but should not be used by pregnant women. Contact information is provided.
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PMID:FDA approves efavirenz. Food and Drug Administration. 1136 87

A non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, Sustiva (efavirenz, formerly DMP 266), received FDA approval for use by children and adults. Dosing is recommended at bedtime to avert side effects, which are described. People who receive the drug should avoid driving. Women should not become pregnant while taking this medication. Triple combination therapy with Sustiva and AZT/ Epivir (3TC) may be as effective as the combination of Crixivan with AZT/Epivir (3TC), preliminary trials showed. The drug costs about $4,000 a year. Contact information for obtaining financial assistance in the purchasing the drug is provided.
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PMID:Sustiva (efavirenz) is approved. 1136 71

Efavirenz is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) used in the treatment of patients with HIV infection. Both US and British treatment guidelines for HIV infection recommend NNRTI- or protease inhibitor-based combinations [i.e. with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)] as first-line treatmentoptions in the management of HIV disease. Results of a pivotal randomised study (DMP 266-006) comparing efavirenz- versus indinavir-based triple combination therapy in patients with HIV infection (the majority of whom were antiretroviral therapy-naive) showed the efavirenz-based regimen was better tolerated and had greater success in achieving reductions in viral load below the limit of detection. These and other clinical data were incorporated into economic models in 2 analyses, one conducted in the US and the other in Canada. The US analysis examined long term clinical and economic outcomes predicted on the basis of response (viral load and CD4+ cell counts), tolerability and willingness to adhere to therapy. The efavirenz-based regimen was the dominant treatment strategy as it was predicted to improve survival and reduce direct medical costs in the US healthcare system. Compared with the indinavir-containing regimen, survival was increased by 11% (absolute difference) and cumulative costs were reduced by $US10,326 per patient (1998 discounted costs) at 5 years after starting treatment with efavirenz-based therapy. The Canadian analysis was conducted from the perspective of the Ontario healthcare system. This study did not consider differences in clinical efficacy between treatment groups, costs of study medication or outcomes beyond 1 year--all factors that would have favoured the efavirenz-based regimen. Of the 2 treatment options, the efavirenz-based regimen was associated with 7.4% lower average annual medical care costs, primarily because of greater costs associated with adverse clinical events with the indinavir-based regimen. In conclusion, current treatment guidelines for HIV infection recognise efavirenz-based combination regimens as a first-line treatment option. A pivotal comparative clinical trial (DMP 266-006) showed a significantly greater virological response to efavirenz- than indinavir-based triple combination therapy, and the efavirenz-based regimen was better tolerated. These clinical data are supported by pharmacoeconomic analyses conducted in the US and Canada, both of which showed lower medical care costs with the efavirenz-based regimen. The US analysis also predicted long term health benefits, such as improved survival, with efavirenz- versus indinavir-based triple combination therapy. These results must be weighed against the inherent difficulties of predicting long term treatment failure rates from short term data, and the limited number of pharmacoeconomic analyses conducted with efavirenz to date.
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PMID:Efavirenz: a pharmacoeconomic review of its use in HIV infection. 1138 58

Virtually all the compounds that are currently used, or under advanced clinical trial, for the treatment of HIV infections, belong to one of the following classes: (i) nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs): i.e., zidovudine (AZT), didanosine (ddI), zalcitabine (ddC), stavudine (d4T), lamivudine (3TC), abacavir (ABC), emtricitabine [(-)FTC], tenofovir (PMPA) disoproxil fumarate; (ii) non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs): i.e., nevirapine, delavirdine, efavirenz, emivirine (MKC-442); and (iii) protease inhibitors (PIs): i.e., saquinavir, ritonavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, amprenavir, and lopinavir. In addition to the reverse transcriptase and protease step, various other events in the HIV replicative cycle are potential targets for chemotherapeutic intervention: (i) viral adsorption, through binding to the viral envelope glycoprotein gp120 (polysulfates, polysulfonates, polyoxometalates, zintevir, negatively charged albumins, cosalane analogues); (ii) viral entry, through blockade of the viral coreceptors CXCR4 and CCR5 [bicyclams (i.e. AMD3100), polyphemusins (T22), TAK-779, MIP-1 alpha LD78 beta isoform]; (iii) virus-cell fusion, through binding to the viral glycoprotein gp41 [T-20 (DP-178), T-1249 (DP-107), siamycins, betulinic acid derivatives]; (iv) viral assembly and disassembly, through NCp7 zinc finger-targeted agents [2,2'-dithiobisbenzamides (DIBAs), azadicarbonamide (ADA) and NCp7 peptide mimics]; (v) proviral DNA integration, through integrase inhibitors such as L-chicoric acid and diketo acids (i.e. L-731,988); (vi) viral mRNA transcription, through inhibitors of the transcription (transactivation) process (fluoroquinolone K-12, Streptomyces product EM2487, temacrazine, CGP64222). Also, in recent years new NRTIs, NNRTIs and PIs have been developed that possess respectively improved metabolic characteristics (i.e. phosphoramidate and cyclosaligenyl pronucleotides of d4T), or increased activity against NNRTI-resistant HIV strains [second generation NNRTIs, such as capravirine and the novel quinoxaline, quinazolinone, phenylethylthiazolylthiourea (PETT) and emivirine (MKC-442) analogues], or, as in the case of PIs, a different, non-peptidic scaffold [i.e. cyclic urea (DMP 450), 4-hydroxy-2-pyrone (tipranavir)]. Given the multitude of molecular targets with which anti-HIV agents can interact, one should be cautious in extrapolating from cell-free enzymatic assays to the mode of action of these agents in intact cells. A number of compounds (i.e. zintevir and L-chicoric acid, on the one hand; and CGP64222 on the other hand) have recently been found to interact with virus-cell binding and viral entry in contrast to their proposed modes of action targeted at the integrase and transactivation process, respectively.
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PMID:New developments in anti-HIV chemotherapy. 1156 82


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