FDA Clears New HIV Drug Edurant; Inhibitor Helps Suppress HIV Load in Blood

The Food and Drug Administration May 20 said it approved Edurant (rilpivirine), a new HIV treatment to be used in combination with other antiretroviral drugs for treating HIV-1 infection in adults who have never taken HIV therapy (treatment-naive).

Edurant belongs to a class of HIV drugs called non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI). It is manufactured by Raritan, N.J.-based Tibotec Therapeutics, a division of Centocor Ortho Biotech Inc., which is part of Johnson & Johnson.

The drug, a pill taken once a day with food, blocks HIV viral replication. Edurant is to be used as part of a highly active antiretroviral ...