1-Three-in-one AIDS pill wins U.S. approval

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UPDATE 1-Three-in-one AIDS pill wins U.S. approvalWed Jul 12, 2006 2:23 PM ET

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WASHINGTON, July 12 (Reuters) - A three-in-one AIDS pill that combines medicines made by Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. <BMY.N> and Gilead Sciences Inc. <GILD.O> won U.S. approval, the companies said on Wednesday.

They said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first ever once-daily drug for adults with HIV, which causes AIDS. The pill contains Bristol's drug Sustiva and Gilead's medicines Viread and Emtriva.

The combination drug will be sold under the name Atripla and will be on the market within seven business days, the drugmakers said in a statement. They did not say how much it would cost.

Atripla further simplifies the multi-drug therapy for AIDS patients to keep the HIV virus in check. Most patients have to take a three pills, a regimen know as triple combination cocktails.

In the early days of AIDS treatment, patients took dozens of pills daily at different times, and some with or without food. Doctors soon realized those regimens were difficult.

The companies hope the convenience of a single, once-daily pill will mean more patients stick with treatment which is key to keeping HIV from developing resistance to drugs.

Gilead shares were up 4 cents to $61.80 on Nasdaq. Shares of Bristol were off 24 cents, or nearly one percent, at $25.24 on the New York Stock Exchange.

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