Innovative HIV-AIDS Treatment ISENTRESS(TM) now available to Canadian First Nations

MONTREAL, Oct. 7 – Canadian First Nations people living with HIV-AIDS will now have access to ISENTRESS(TM) (raltegravir), the first of a new class of antiretrovirals for the treatment of HIV-AIDS through Health Canada’s Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) Program. The NIHB program provides coverage for health-related needs for First Nations, Inuit and Aboriginal people.”The Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network welcomes the release of new medications to treat HIV, ” said Ken Barlow, CEO. “CAAN continues to encourage Aboriginal people living with HIV-AIDS to seek medical advice and get informed about medical advancements that can help manage their illness.”

This inclusion in the NIHB list of medication is particularly relevant because the overall HIV infection rate among Aboriginal persons is almost three times higher than among non-Aboriginal Canadians, making need for new treatment options that target the HIV virus in new ways critical.(1)

About ISENTRESS(TM)

ISENTRESS(TM) (raltegravir) was approved by Health Canada in November 2007 for use in combination with other antiretroviral agents for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in treatment-experienced adult patients who have evidence of viral replication and HIV-1 strains resistant to multiple antiretroviral agents. Raltegravir attacks the HIV virus in a way that’s different to other available antiretroviral treatments. It is the only drug approved that blocks the action of integrase, an enzyme that is critical to the HIV replication process. By targeting the integrase enzyme, raltegravir limits the ability of the virus to replicate and infect new cells. Used in combination with other antiretroviral agents, raltegravir has been shown to be effective at both reducing viral load to undetectable levels and raising CD4 cell count in people living with HIV-AIDS who were previously treated with other antiretroviral agents. Raltegravir is administered as a single 400 mg tablet taken twice daily with or without food with other HIV medications.(2)

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For further information: Martine Drolet, Merck Frosst Canada Ltd., (514) 428-3037, (514) 833-6780