News Analysis: U.S. Approval of Intelence (Etravirine)

On Jan. 18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor in nearly a decade. It was known throughout much of its development as TMC125, and is now known by its generic name, etravirine, and the brand name of Intelence. Etravirine's approval follows on the heels of the approvals of four other new antiretrovirals, making this an unprecedented time in the history of HIV/AIDS medicine. To learn more about etravirine, and its potential impact on the treatment of HIV-infected patients, we spoke with Dr. Cal Cohen, research director of Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates and Community Research Initiative of New England in Boston, Mass. He is also a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Cohen has participated in research on etravirine, and has also received funding from Tibotec, which developed etravirine.