Myriad Genetics’ Experimental AIDS Drug ‘Shows Promise’ in Early Trials

Salt Lake City-based Myriad Genetics Inc.'s new antiretroviral drug MPI-49839 has "shown promise" in fighting HIV, including drug-resistant viral strains, in early pre-clinical trials, the Salt Lake Tribune reports. Myriad Genetics President Adrian Hobden said that the drug is effective in preventing HIV from spreading from infected white blood cells to healthy white blood cells without harming uninfected cells. Hobden added that HIV "may have a very difficult time developing resistance" to the drug. Myriad officials say that MPI-49839 could be "the forerunner in a new class" of antiretrovirals. Myriad will soon file with the FDA an investigational new drug application, which is submitted before a drug is tested in humans (Mims, Salt Lake Tribune, 9/21).