Slows virus that
causes deadly liver disease
WEDNESDAY, March 30
(HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved
the new Bristol-Meyers Squibb drug Baraclude (entecavir) to treat
chronic hepatitis B in adults, the agency announced Wednesday.
About 1.25 million
Americans are infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV), which attacks
the liver and can cause lifelong infection, cirrhosis, liver cancer,
liver failure, and death, the FDA said. Baraclude slows the virus'
effects by interfering with its ability to reproduce.
In clinical trials,
patients showed significant improvement compared with those who took an
older HBV therapy, lamivudine, the agency said.
Side effects of the
new drug included headache, abdominal pain, diarrhea, fatigue and
dizziness. The company said the medication could be available as soon as
early April.
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