FDA Clears New HIV Drug

Bristol-Myers Squibb(BMY Quote) and Gilead Sciences(GILD Quote) said Wednesday that the Food and Drug Administration has approved a new HIV drug that contains ingredients from three existing medications.

The drug, Atripla, is the first once-a-day pill that can be used as a stand-alone therapy or in combination with other medications, the companies said. Atripla combines Sustiva from Bristol-Myers Squibb and Truvada from Gilead. Truvada is itself a combination pill, containing Gilead's Viread and Emtriva.

The companies say Atripla should improve patient compliance thanks to simplified dosing. The companies established a joint venture in December 2004 to create the three-drug pill. ...