New Hope

The FDA Just Approved A New Treatment For HIV

descovy

The FDA has just approved Gilead drug Descovy as the newest treatment for HIV-positive people 12 years and older.

Gilead touted the the drug’s arrival and provided important details about it in a press release:

Gilead Sciences, Inc. today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Descovy (emtricitabine 200 mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25 mg, F/TAF), a fixed-dose combination for the treatment of HIV. Descovy is indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and pediatric patients 12 years of age and older.

However, they make it clear that the drug isn’t intended for use as PrEP and may cause some complications for users with Hepatitis B:

Descovy is not indicated for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 in adults at high risk. Descovy has a boxed warning in its product label regarding the risks of lactic acidosis/severe hepatomegaly with steatosis, and post treatment acute exacerbation of hepatitis B.

Gilead’s Executive Vice President of Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer Norbert Bischofberger had this to say:

“As the first new HIV treatment backbone approved by the FDA in more than a decade, Descovy represents an important evolution in HIV care. As part of a single tablet regimen or partnered with a third agent, the components of Descovy offer patients a simple and effective combination with a safety profile that has the potential to improve health.”

In our opinion, the more tools we can have in the fight against HIV/AIDS, the better. This is amazing news, and we hope it helps to simplify treatment for people living with HIV.

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