Gilead stops production on two experimental anti-HIV drugs

Pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences last week announced that it was halting production on two experimental HIV antiretroviral drugs, known as GS 7340 and GS 9005. GS 9005 was an experimental protease inhibitor; GS 7340 was a prodrug version of the company's already approved nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor tenofovir, sold under the brand name Viread. Gilead officials say a recently completed Phase I/II clinical trial of GS 9005 showed the drug did not have sufficient antiviral activity. A similar Phase I/II trial of GS 7340 showed the drug didn't have a safety, tolerability, or efficacy profile different enough from Viread to support its continued development. "We continue to be dedicated to the development of therapeutic advances for the treatment of HIV, with ongoing research programs focused on existing and novel targets, hepatitis C, and diseases of the lymphatic system," said Gilead president and CEO John C. Martin in announcing the end of the drug development programs. "We also continue to carefully evaluate potential partnership opportunities to complement the internal research programs that will grow our pipeline."