Following through
on plans announced in late 2005, drugmaker Roche on
Monday halted U.S. sales of its HIV protease inhibitor
Fortovase, citing low demand for the medication. The
company also says a newer formulation of the active
ingredient in the medication, sold as Invirase, has fewer
side effects and a lower pill burden than Fortovase.
"The Fortovase
formulation of saquinavir no longer meets the demands
of convenience and tolerability expected by patients today,"
Frederick Schmid, the firm's vice president for
virology/HIV, said in a statement. "We have determined
that it is time to focus our resources on the
availability of Invirase, which offers significant
improvements in convenience and gastrointestinal
tolerance." (Advocate.com)