GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer Establish ViiV Healthcare

Published: 03-Nov-2009

To tackle the increasingly diverse and complex needs of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer have launched ViiV Healthcare, a new specialist HIV company. The newly launched firm aims to tackle the increasingly diverse and complex needs of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide.

Reflecting on the current challenges in HIV and the opportunity for ViiV Healthcare, Dominique Limet, chief executive officer, said: “Rising infection rates and increasingly complex treatment issues have created a challenging landscape in the treatment of HIV and the need for innovative research and better patient resources.”

“Our ambition is to conduct research and development both inside and outside ViiV Healthcare. Our R&D efforts, strategic partnerships and licensing opportunities will be focused on delivering medications that help address resistance issues and dosing complexity. Within our own pipeline we have some very exciting molecules, including our late stage integrase inhibitor development programme.”

ViiV Healthcare has signed a research alliance agreement with GSK and Pfizer under which it will invest in research and development into HIV medicines being conducted by both companies. GSK and Pfizer have also agreed to grant ViiV Healthcare a right of first negotiation in relation to any new HIV-related medicine developed by either GSK or Pfizer.

ViiV Healthcare has 10 medicines currently available including therapies such as Epzicom/Kivexa (abacavir sulfate+lamivudine) and Selzentry/Celsentri (maraviroc). It also has a pipeline of seven innovative and targeted medicines, including five compounds in phase II development.

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