Merck enhances co-pay assistance programme for people living with HIV-1 who are taking the company's first-in-class HIV-1 integrase inhibitor, Isentress (raltegravir) tablets. The programme provides important savings for privately-insured patients with out-of-pocket costs for Isentress, and is part of Merck’s ongoing commitment to providing access to treatment.

People who have been prescribed Isentress who meet certain requirements are eligible to participate in the programme, in which they can receive a Savings Coupon for up to US$ 400 toward out-of-pocket costs on each of up to 12 eligible prescriptions of Isentress, regardless of the number of tablets supplied on the prescription. The programme applies to eligible patients who have private health insurance with a co-payment for the prescription. Savings are limited to co-pay amount and eligibility restrictions, terms and conditions apply.

“This effort, along with Merck’s ongoing collaboration with AIDS Drug Assistance Programmes (ADAPs), further reinforces the company’s long-standing commitment to providing access to our medicines,” said Patrick Bergstedt, senior vice president and general manager, Merck Infectious Diseases Franchise. “Given today’s economic climate, programmes that help alleviate the high co-pay costs that many HIV-1 patients face are increasingly important."

The program is not available to patients who are covered under Medicaid, Medicare, a Medicare Part D or Medicare Advantage plan (regardless of whether a specific prescription is covered), Tricare, Champus, Government Health Insurance Plan (Healthcare Reform), or any other state or federal medical or pharmaceutical benefit programme or pharmaceutical assistance program, or to residents of Massachusetts. Participants must be residents of the United States or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico to be eligible for the programme.

Isentress is the first medicine to be approved in a class of antiretroviral drugs called integrase inhibitors.