LONDON -(Dow Jones)- Pharmaceutical companies GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE) said Tuesday they have launched ViiV Healthcare, a new specialist company dedicated to delivering advances in HIV treatment and care.
MAIN FACTS:
-To tackle increasingly diverse and complex needs of people living with HIV/AIDS worldwide.
-Strong focus on stimulating research and development
-ViiV Healthcare has 10 medicines currently available including therapies such as Epzicom/Kivexa (abacavir sulfate+lamivudine) and Selzentry/Celsentri (maraviroc).
-Revenues from these available treatments generated sales of GBP1.6 billion in 2008.
-ViiV Healthcare has financial stability to support sustained investment in its pipeline and programmes.
-ViiV will pursue multiple strategies to develop this existing business and to deliver new growth opportunities, including geographic expansion, new collaborations and business development activities.
-Also has a pipeline of seven innovative and targeted medicines, including five compounds in phase II development.
-Altogether, ViiV Healthcare has 17 molecules in its portfolio to develop as potential new HIV treatments.
-By London Bureau, Dow Jones Newswires; Contact Ian Walker; +44 (0)20 7842 9296; ian.walker@dowjones.com