Cure of human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome: promising future prospects at horizon.

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease caused by human immunodeficiency virus and characterized by profound immunosuppression that leads to opportunistic infections, secondary neoplasms, and neurologic complications. AIDS is among the leading causes of death worldwide. Current therapeutic options are directed only toward management of AIDS, but not toward its prevention or cure. In addition, it also possesses numerous problems like drug resistance, drug toxicity, drug interactions, non-adherence to therapy, life-long and expensive treatment, etc. Recent years in drug development have shown promising prospects for prevention/ treatment/cure of AIDS like histone deacetylase inhibitors, Vpu ion channel inhibitors, viral decay acceleration, maturation inhibitors, tat antagonists, gene/stem cell therapy, and antiretroviral vaccines.

Cost analysis of antiretroviral agents available in India.

Background: AIDS is one of the most prevalent causes of death due to infectious origin which requires a lifelong therapy. There is variation in prices of antiretroviral drugs available in Indian market. Thus, a study was planned to find out variation in prices of antiretroviral drugs either as a single drug or in combination and to evaluate the difference in cost of various brands of the same antiretroviral drugs by calculating percentage variation in cost in Indian rupees. Methods: Cost of antiretroviral drugs manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies, in the same strength and dosage forms was obtained from “Current Index of Medical Specialties” July-October 2014 and “Indian Drug Review” Vol. XXI, Issue No. 4, 2014. The difference in the maximum and minimum price of the same drug manufactured by different pharmaceutical companies and percentage variation in cost was calculated. Results: Percentage variation in cost for antiretroviral drugs marketed in India was found to be zidovudine (100 mg) - 436%, lamivudine (100 mg) - 268%, tenofovir (300 mg) - 149.5%, didanosine (250 mg) - 73.75%, indinavir (400 mg) - 35.26%. Among the combination therapy, price variation was lamivudine + zidovudine (150 + 300 mg) - 314%, lamivudine + stavudine (150 + 40 mg) - 105%, lopinavir + ritonavir (133.3 + 33 mg) - 25%. Conclusion: There is wide variation in the prices of antiretroviral agents available in the market. Regulatory authorities, pharma companies, physicians should maximize their efforts to reduce the cost of drugs.