European Commission Approves Boehringer Ingelheim’s Viramune

Boehringer Ingelheim announced that the European Commission has approved an update of the Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) for Viramune (nevirapine) in the treatment of patients with HIV. The decision followed a positive recommendation by the Committee for Medical Products for Human Use (CHMP), the scientific committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA).

The SmPC has been updated to reflect clinical studies demonstrating that nevirapine has been associated with an increase in HDL cholesterol and an overall improvement in the total HDL cholesterol ratio.

Dr Manfred Haehl, Senior Vice President of Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim, said: “We are very satisfied that Viramune’s positive impact on lipids has been recognized by the European Commission. This is particularly important at a time when cardiovascular disease has become an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with HIV. Physicians treating patients with HIV need to have a range of treatment options available so they can tailor the therapy to the individual patient’s need and response. We are further exploring Viramune effect on lipid profiles and hope to provide further insights with the upcoming ARTEN study.’