ViiV Healthcare established as specialist HIV treatment company
GSK and Pfizer have launched ViiV Healthcare, a new company focused on HIV treatments. The company aims to advance new therapies and improve existing HIV medications.
GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer have officially launched ViiV Healthcare, a new company dedicated to HIV treatments. The company's CEO, Dominique Limet, outlined its mission to address the diverse and complex needs of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide.
Limet noted that while antiretroviral treatments have transformed HIV from a life-threatening illness into a chronic condition, individuals with access to care still live approximately ten years less than those without the virus. "This is unacceptable and we must remain relentless in the pursuit of new medicines," he stated, emphasizing the need to better understand the needs of people living with HIV alongside scientific advancement.
ViiV Healthcare currently offers 10 medicines, generating approximately £1.6 billion in revenue in 2008. These revenues will support investment in a pipeline of seven new medicines, with five compounds in Phase II development. The company is also exploring broader applications for existing molecules, such as developing new formulations and combinations.
A significant focus will be placed on pediatric HIV treatment. ViiV Healthcare is providing £10 million in seed funding to support public-private partnerships aimed at discovering much-needed clinical evidence for new pediatric HIV/AIDS medicines. The company also commits to improving global access to HIV treatments, working with both developing and developed nations.