Boehringer Ingelheim has submitted a Marketing Authorisation Application (MAA) to the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) for tipranavir. Simultaneously the documentation was submitted to the FDA.

Tipranavir is a non-peptidic protease inhibitor (NPPI) for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in combination with other antiretroviral agents in patients who are protease inhibitor experienced. The application is supported by data from Phase II and Phase III studies of tipranavir boosted with low-dose ritonavir (tipranavir/r) in more than 2500 patients worldwide.

Two large-scale phase III clinical trials, RESIST-1 and RESIST-2 form the foundation of the MAA for tipranavir. These studies were randomized, controlled, open-label trials designed to examine the safety and efficacy of tipranavir/r versus a low-dose ritonavir-boosted comparator protease inhibitor in treatment-experienced patients. Interim data from RESIST-1 will be presented at the 44th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in Washington, DC this week. Results from this study show that tipranavir is a viable treatment option for patients who have failed other protease inhibitors, according to a company release.

"Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to the development of new therapies that will benefit people living with HIV/AIDS," said Dr. Andreas Barner, vice-chairman of the Board of managing directors and head of corporate Board Division Pharma Research, Development and Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim. "The submission for tipranavir brings us one step closer to providing a potent treatment when the HI virus has developed resistance to most commercially available protease inhibitors," added Dr Andreas.

Tipranavir is a non-peptidic protease inhibitor currently in phase III of clinical development. In June 2004, Boehringer Ingelheim announced the enrolment of the first patient in a broad-scale global tipranavir Compassionate Use Programme, which provides access to HIV-positive patients in desperate clinical need of new treatment options.

Tipranavir is also being evaluated for use in paediatric and treatment-naïve patient populations. Pivotal clinical studies are currently underway. Based on available clinical and in vitro data, tipranavir is active against most strains of HIV-1 that are resistant to commercially available protease inhibitors. Ongoing studies are designed to confirm these data, the release added.

Boehringer Ingelheim is committed to the research and development of novel antiretroviral agents. Viramune (nevirapine) is a product of original research done at Boehringer Ingelheim.