Bristol Myers Squibb has announced that its new protease inhibitor, atazanavir, is now available to patients in the UK through an Individual Patient Supply scheme, which allows doctors to request a drug for any patient thought to need the medicine.
Previously atazanavir was available through an expanded access arrangement run as a clinical study, which provided the drug free of charge to people who needed atazanavir to construct a viable regimen, or who had elevated cholesterol levels that were not responding to lipid-lowering treatment.
Atazanavir is already licensed in the United States, and is expected to be licensed in the European Union during the first quarter of 2004. Making atazanavir available through individual patient supply (formerly called named patient basis) will allow more people to receive the drug in the run-up to licensing, but clinics will have to pay approximately £360 a month plus VAT.
Doctors should contact Bristol Myers Squibb UK Customer Service Desk for atazanavir on 01244 586250. Under UK law, the company cannot deal with enquiries about the drug from patients or non-health care professionals.
In other European countries atazanavir will continue to be made available according to local rules on pre-licensing access.
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