Bristol-Myers, Gilead Work on New Combo HIV Pill
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. will develop a once-a-day pill to treat the HIV virus that combines its popular Reyataz with an experimental drug from Gilead Sciences Inc.
Under the licensing deal, Bristol-Myers will formulate, manufacture and sell the pill. It will include Reyataz, a drug in the class called protease inhibitors, and Gilead's cobicistat, which is designed to boost blood levels of some HIV drugs.
Gilead currently is doing mid- and late-stage human tests using the two drugs together to treat new HIV patients.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Bristol is to pay Gilead an undisclosed royalty from sales of the combination medicine.
The two companies already have a joint venture selling the three-drug combination pill Atripla, the top-selling HIV pill in the U.S.