Called MK-0518, it will be made available through an expanded access program.

These programs are supported by many agencies because it gets treatment for patients who have a resistant form of AIDS in which existing treatment is ineffective.  Space in clinical trials is often limited, which leaves patients with few options.

MK-0518 is a news class of drugs called an integrase inhibitor, which inhibits the insertion of HIV viral DNA into human DNA.  There are 3 HIV enzymes that are required by the virus to reproduce.  They are reverse transcriptase, protease and integrase.  Most AIDS drugs try to disrupt protease and reverse transcriptase to stop the virus from reproducing.  Merck is the first to prevent integrase to disrupt the virus.

The drug is in large, Phase III trials which is the last step needed before gaining the approval of the FDA.  Tests have shown that so far, the drug is effective against HIV.

In order to participate in the trials, patients must be infected with HIV-1, be over the age of 16 years and have limited treatment options.  Patients must also be clinically stable and not suffer from acute hepatitis.

Merck began researching HIV in 1985 and their scientists were among the first to discover and develop medicines for the treatment of AIDS.

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