New dose of HIV inhibitor approved by FDA

After medical studies concluded that 200 milligrams of etravirine, known as Intelence, is a safe dose level for patients with HIV, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the dosage for use.

Intelence is expected to be available later in January. The prescription drug is part of a class of anti-HIV medications known as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), which prevent HIV from inducing human cells to produce fresh copies of the virus.

It was first approved by the FDA in 2009. Intelence is typically prescribed for HIV-positive individuals whose infection has developed a resistance to antiretroviral drugs.

The maker of Intelence, Tibotec Therapeutics, expects that the new formulation will allow those with the disease to take fewer pills per day, increasing the likelihood that a steady prescription regimen will be followed.

Even with treatment, HIV can lead to secondary infections like tuberculosis, Kaposi's sarcomas, toxoplasmosis and certain cancers. Individuals who believe they have contracted the disease may consider looking into online testing services, which combine reliable analysis with relative privacy.