ONO ANNOUNCES PHASE III TRIALS FOR AIDS DRUG

Japan's Ono Pharmaceuticals recently reported that GlaxoSmithKline began Phase III trials in June of an experimental anti-AIDS pill, which was licensed from Ono. The medicine, known as a CCR5 inhibitor and called GSK 873140, has been in late Phase II trials since late last year for people infected with HIV who had not been treated with existing drugs.

Although the Phase II trials have not yet been completed, GSK has also started Phase III trials, targeting HIV carriers who have been treated with existing drugs but have not shown an improvement, Ono said.