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Corporate Social Responsibility
News
3.14.2006 ET
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CSR News from:
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Abbott Statement on Advancing Pediatric HIV Treatment in Developing Countries
(CSRwire) ABBOTT PARK, Ill. - Following today's announcement of the U.S.
government's new public-private initiative for pediatric AIDS treatment,
Abbott pledges its support and active engagement in the initiative to
create solutions to advance treatment for children with HIV. Abbott has
been a longstanding leader in improving the lives of children affected by
HIV/AIDS. The company continues to make a significant contribution
through advances in pediatric HIV treatment, and through philanthropic
programs targeting critical areas of need for children.
Advancing Pediatric HIV Treatment
Abbott is developing a lower-dose pediatric tablet formulation of its HIV
protease inhibitor (PI), lopinavir/ritonavir. Using a novel technology
called Meltrex® developed through significant investment by Abbott, the
new tablets are being developed with the goals of eliminating the need for
refrigeration of the tablets, and to provide the dosing flexibility needed
for treating children.
Long-Standing Access to Pediatric Formulations
The treatment needs of children have always been an integral part of
Abbott's HIV research programs. Abbott invested in clinical studies of
both of its PIs in children at the same time as it studied the medicines
for adult use, and the oral solution formulations of both PIs have
demonstrated safety and effectiveness in pediatric HIV treatment.
Abbott's PIs are both available in liquid formulations around the world to
provide flexible dosing for children. In Africa and the Least Developed
Countries (LDCs), Abbott has provided its PI liquid formulations at the
lowest price of any PI liquid formulation in Africa, including both
branded and generic PIs.
Philanthropic Programs Improving the Lives of Children
Abbott and the Abbott Fund are investing $100 million to fight HIV/AIDS in
developing countries, including several programs directly addressing
barriers to testing, treatment and care of children with HIV:
Pioneering a new pediatric treatment model - The Abbott Fund
supported Baylor College of Medicine in establishing a treatment program
in Constanta, Romania, that reduced the death rate for children with HIV
by more than 90 percent in three years. This model program is now being
replicated by Baylor across Africa, providing treatment for more than
4,000 children with HIV. In partnership with Baylor and the Government of
Malawi, the Abbott Fund is supporting the opening of the first pediatric
treatment center in Malawi in mid-2006.
Training health professionals in pediatric HIV care - Baylor and the
Abbott Fund also partnered to establish the Baylor Children's Clinical
Centers of Excellence Network to train health professionals and share best
practices in HIV care. Additionally, the Abbott Fund supports Baylor's
International Pediatric HIV/AIDS Fellowship program, which provides
pediatric HIV training for physicians from developing countries.
Supporting orphans and vulnerable children impacted by HIV/AIDS - The
Abbott Fund provides care and support for children through innovative model
programs that address specific community needs, including HIV testing,
legal assistance for women and children, child-focused counseling and
support groups, and vocational training. Since 2001 more than 500,000
children and families have received services in Burkina Faso, India,
Malawi, Romania and Tanzania.
Support to help prevent mother-to-child transmission of HIV - The
transmission of HIV from mother to child has been virtually eliminated in
the United States, but remains a significant problem in developing
countries. Testing is the first step toward achieving prevention, and
Abbott is donating rapid HIV tests to programs for the prevention of
mother-to-child transmission of HIV in Africa and the LDCs. To date,
Abbott has provided more than 3.4 million free HIV tests through the
program.
Additional Abbott Program Results in Developing Countries
In addition to child-focused programs, Abbott and the Abbott Fund are
addressing fundamental barriers to testing, treatment and support services
for people living with HIV; results to date include:
Provided 42 million rapid HIV tests at no profit to Africa and the
LDCs to expand access to testing services;
Trained more than 15,000 health care workers in developing countries;
and
Implemented a nationwide program to scale-up testing and treatment in
Tanzania; this includes an outpatient center and modern clinical
laboratories at Muhimbili National Hospital serving up to 1,000 patients a
day, and the expansion of testing and treatment services at 82 hospitals
and health centers across the country.
Lopinavir/Ritonavir Indication and Safety Information
Lopinavir/ritonavir is always used in combination with other anti-HIV
medicines to treat people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
infection. Lopinavir/ritonavir is a combination of two medicines. They
are lopinavir and ritonavir. Lopinavir/ritonavir is a type of medicine
called an HIV protease (PRO-tee-ase) inhibitor. Lopinavir/ritonavir is
for adults and for children age six months and older.
Once-daily dosing of lopinavir/ritonavir in combination with other
anti-HIV medicines is not recommended for people with previous HIV
treatment and has not been evaluated in children.
Important Safety Information
Lopinavir/ritonavir does not cure HIV infection or AIDS and does not
reduce the risk of passing HIV to others.
Lopinavir/ritonavir should not be taken by people who have had an allergic
reaction to lopinavir/ritonavir or any of its ingredients, including
lopinavir or ritonavir.
Taking lopinavir/ritonavir with certain drugs can cause serious problems
or death. Lopinavir/ritonavir should not be taken with
dihydroergotamine, ergonovine, ergotamine, and methylergonovine
such as Cafergot(R), Migranal(R), D.H.E. 45(R), Ergotrate Maleate, and
Methergine, as well as Halcion(R), Hismanal(R), Orap(R), Propulsid(R),
Seldane(R) or Versed(R).
Lopinavir/ritonavir should also not be taken with rifampin, also known as
Rimactane(R), Rifadin(R), Rifater(R), or Rifamate(R),
Flonase(R), Mevacor(R), Zocor(R) or products containing St. John's wort
(Hypericum perforatum). Once-daily Lopinavir/ritonavir should not be
taken with Agenerase(R), Sustiva(R), Viracept(R), Viramune(R),
Dilantin(R), Phenobarbital or Tegretol(R).
Particular caution should be used when taking Viagra,
Cialis or Levitra, since the interaction with
lopinavir/ritonavir may result in an increase in their related side
effects. Patients should discuss all medicines, including those without a
prescription and herbal products that they are taking or plan to take, with
their doctor or pharmacist.
Pancreatitis and liver problems, which can be fatal, have been reported in
patients receiving lopinavir/ritonavir. Patients should tell their doctor
if they have nausea, vomiting, or abdominal pain, which may be signs of
pancreatitis, or if they have or have had liver disease such as hepatitis
B or C. In patients taking protease inhibitors, increased bleeding (in
patients with hemophilia) and diabetes/high blood sugar have occurred.
Changes in body fat have been seen in some patients receiving
anti-retroviral therapy. The cause and long-term health effects of these
conditions are not known at this time. Some patients receiving
lopinavir/ritonavir have had large increases in triglycerides and
cholesterol. Varying degrees of cross-resistance among protease
inhibitors have been observed.
The most commonly reported side effects of moderate severity are:
abdominal pain, abnormal bowel movements, diarrhea, feeling weak or tired,
headache, and nausea. Children taking lopinavir/ritonavir may sometimes
get a skin rash. This is not a complete list of reported side effects.
Diarrhea may be more common in patients taking lopinavir/ritonavir
capsules once-daily compared to the twice-daily dose (57 percent vs. 35
percent of mild to severe events and possibly related to the drug; and 16
percent vs. 5 percent of at least moderate severity and possibly related
to the drug as found in a clinical study). Lopinavir/ritonavir oral
solution contains alcohol. Exposure of this product to high humidity
outside the original container for longer than two weeks is not
recommended.
For more information, including full prescribing information, please visit
www.kaletra.com.
About Abbott
Abbott is a global, broad-based health care company devoted to the
discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of pharmaceuticals and
medical products, including nutritionals, devices and diagnostics. The
company employs 60,000 people and markets its products in more than 130
countries.
Abbott's news releases and other information are available on the
company's Web site at www.abbott.com.
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