Unitaid, Laurus Labs to Develop Generic of a Combination HIV Treatment for Children

Unitaid, Laurus Labs and the Clinton Health Access Initiative are developing a generic of the HIV treatment, darunavir boosted with ritonavir, for use in children.

The combination antiretroviral treatment has been available in wealthy nations for more than 15 years, but a generic, fixed-dose combination pediatric version hasn’t yet hit the market.

The World Health Organization has prioritized second- and third-line treatments for HIV because the recommended first-line treatment, dolutegravir, may not work for children because of medication resistance or intolerance. The collaborators said they are working to address this unmet need and ensure that children with HIV/AIDS have access to second- and third-line HIV therapy.