Hopes raised over development of cheaper AIDS drug

A cheaper and more effective drug that reduces the rate of HIV transmission from mother to child by 50 per cent has been developed by Ugandan and American scientists, Ugandan radio reported. The drug, nevirapine (NVP), costs about US $3, unlike the existing drug AZT that requires about US $800. The 'Los Angeles Times' quoted Anthony Fauci, director of the US National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases which funded the study, as saying the scientists had hoped nevirapine would be at least as good as AZT. But, "it was much better", he said. The UNAIDS programme in Nairobi confirmed that nevirapine is "relatively cheaper" and "does not need to be taken frequently". UNAIDS Regional Coordinator Warren Namara told IRIN the drug has been in trials for quite a while and it appears "promising". Uganda's Health Minister Crispus Kiyonga said the research provided real hope that many of Africa's future generations could be protected from the AIDS pandemic. US Vice President Al Gore expressed great satisfaction over a "promising new treatment" which he said was "at least 70 times lower in cost than a short course of AZT and 200 times less expensive than a long course - and easier to administer". "This treatment, to help reduce the likelihood of a mother passing along HIV to her child during pregnancy or delivery, is a critical new weapon in the ongoing battle against HIV/AIDS," he said in a statement. "With this treatment, millions of children can start life free from this deadly disease." "I believe that we must address the growing crisis of HIV/AIDS in this nation, in Africa and around the world. Each and every hour, another 16,000 persons are infected with HIV worldwide, most in the poorest nations," he added.