Atazanavir access widened in UK

This article is more than 21 years old.

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.

Glossary

treatment-experienced

A person who has previously taken treatment for a condition. Treatment-experienced people may have taken several different regimens before and may have a strain of HIV that is resistant to multiple drug classes.

protease inhibitor (PI)

Family of antiretrovirals which target the protease enzyme. Includes amprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, nelfinavir, and atazanavir.

named patient basis prescribing

A means of access to an unlicensed drug, in which a doctor requests supplies from its manufacturer for a specific individual.

lipid

Fat or fat-like substances found in the blood and body tissues. Lipids serve as building blocks for cells and as a source of energy for the body. Cholesterol and triglycerides are types of lipids.

cholesterol

A waxy substance, mostly made by the body and used to produce steroid hormones. High levels can be associated with atherosclerosis. There are two main types of cholesterol: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) or ‘bad’ cholesterol (which may put people at risk for heart disease and other serious conditions), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) or ‘good’ cholesterol (which helps get rid of LDL).

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.

Atazanavir: further information on this website

Atazanavir/ritonavir comparable to lopinavir/ritonavir in PI-experienced - news story July 18, 2003.

Atazanavir – drug overview

Atazanavir in treatment-experienced people: boosted looks better

Atazanavir early access: now available through 20 UK HIV clinics