Janssen Submits New Drug Application to U.S. FDA for a Fixed-Dose Combination Tablet of HIV-1 Medicine Darunavir with Cobicistat as Part of Combination HIV Therapy

RARITAN, N.J., April 1, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Janssen Research & Development, LLC (Janssen), today announced it has submitted a New Drug Application (NDA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) seeking approval for a once-daily fixed-dose antiretroviral combination tablet containing darunavir, a protease inhibitor developed by Janssen R&D Ireland and marketed as PREZISTA^® in the U.S., with cobicistat, an investigational pharmacokinetic enhancer or boosting agent, developed by Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Gilead) for use in combination with other human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) medicines.

Once-daily PREZISTA^® is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 in treatment-naive and treatment-experienced adult patients with no darunavir resistance-associated mutations. PREZISTA^® is always taken with and at the same time as ritonavir, a boosting agent, with food and in combination with other HIV medicines. If approved, the fixed-dose combination tablet will be marketed under a new brand name and will, for the first time, offer an additional therapeutic option that eliminates the need to take a boosting agent in a separate tablet with once-daily darunavir.   

In June 2011, Janssen announced a license agreement with Gilead for the development and commercialization of a once-daily tablet fixed-dose combination product of darunavir and Gilead's cobicistat. Under the terms of the agreement, Janssen R&D Ireland and its affiliates are responsible for the formulation, manufacturing, registration, distribution and commercialization of the darunavir and cobicistat fixed-dose combination worldwide. Gilead will retain sole rights for the manufacture, development and commercialization of cobicistat as a stand-alone product and for use in combination with other agents.

"Darunavir is the most prescribed HIV protease inhibitor in the United States^[1] and we are excited to be taking this important step in our efforts to offer it with an alternative boosting agent in a fixed-dose combination tablet," said Johan van Hoof, M.D., Therapeutic Area Head, Infectious Diseases and Vaccines, Janssen. "This filing demonstrates our ongoing commitment to develop new HIV treatment options and fixed-dose treatment regimens for those living with the disease."

About PREZISTA^®
PREZISTA^® (darunavir) is a prescription medicine. It is one treatment option in the class of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) medicines known as protease inhibitors. PREZISTA^® is always taken with and at the same time as ritonavir (Norvir^®), in combination with other HIV medicines for the treatment of HIV infection in adults. PREZISTA^® should also be taken with food.

• The use of other medicines active against HIV in combination with PREZISTA^®/ritonavir (Norvir^®) may increase your ability to fight HIV. Your healthcare professional will work with you to find the right combination of HIV medicines
• It is important that you remain under the care of your healthcare professional during treatment with PREZISTA^®

PREZISTA^® does not cure HIV infection or AIDS and you may continue to experience illnesses associated with HIV-1 infection, including opportunistic infections. You should remain under the care of a doctor when using PREZISTA^®.

Please read Important Safety Information below, and talk to your healthcare professional to learn if PREZISTA^® is right for you.

Important Safety Information

What is the most important information I should know about PREZISTA^®?

• PREZISTA^® can interact with other medicines and cause serious side effects. See "Who should not take PREZISTA^®?"
• PREZISTA^® may cause liver problems. Some people taking PREZISTA^®, together with Norvir^® (ritonavir), have developed liver problems which may be life-threatening. Your healthcare professional should do blood tests before and during your combination treatment with PREZISTA^®. If you have chronic hepatitis B or C infection, your healthcare professional should check your blood tests more often because you have an increased chance of developing liver problems
• Tell your healthcare professional if you have any of these signs and symptoms of liver problems: dark (tea-colored) urine, yellowing of your skin or whites of your eyes, pale-colored stools (bowel movements), nausea, vomiting, pain or tenderness on your right side below your ribs, or loss of appetite
• PREZISTA^® may cause a severe or life-threatening skin reaction or rash. Sometimes these skin reactions and skin rashes can become severe and require treatment in a hospital. You should call your healthcare professional immediately if you develop a rash. However, stop taking PREZISTA^® and ritonavir combination treatment and call your healthcare professional immediately if you develop any skin changes with these symptoms: fever, tiredness, muscle or joint pain, blisters or skin lesions, mouth sores or ulcers, red or inflamed eyes, like "pink eye." Rash occurred more often in patients taking PREZISTA^® and raltegravir together than with either drug separately, but was generally mild

Who should not take PREZISTA^®?

• Do not take PREZISTA^® if you are taking the following medicines: alfuzosin (Uroxatral^®), dihydroergotamine (D.H.E.45^®, Embolex^®, Migranal^®), ergonovine, ergotamine (Cafergot^®, Ergomar^®), methylergonovine, cisapride (Propulsid^®), pimozide (Orap^®), oral midazolam, triazolam (Halcion^®), the herbal supplement St. John's wort (Hypericum perforatum), lovastatin (Mevacor^®, Altoprev^®, Advicor^®), simvastatin (Zocor^®, Simcor^®, Vytorin^®), rifampin (Rifadin^®, Rifater^®, Rifamate^®, Rimactane^®), sildenafil (Revatio^®) when used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, indinavir (Crixivan^®), lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra^®), saquinavir (Invirase^®), boceprevir (Victrelis™), or telaprevir (Incivek™)
• Before taking PREZISTA^®, tell your healthcare professional if you are taking sildenafil (Viagra^®, Revatio^®), vardenafil (Levitra^®, Staxyn^®), tadalafil (Cialis^®, Adcirca^®), atorvastatin (Lipitor^®), rosuvastatin (Crestor^®), pravastatin (Pravachol^®), or colchicine (Colcrys^®, Col-Probenecid^®). Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking estrogen-based contraceptives (birth control). PREZISTA^® might reduce the effectiveness of estrogen-based contraceptives. You must take additional precautions for birth control, such as condoms

This is not a complete list of medicines. Be sure to tell your healthcare professional about all the medicines you are taking or plan to take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

What should I tell my doctor before I take PREZISTA^®?

• Before taking PREZISTA^®, tell your healthcare professional if you have any medical conditions, including liver problems (including hepatitis B or C), allergy to sulfa medicines, diabetes, or hemophilia
• Tell your healthcare professional if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
  • The effects of PREZISTA^® on pregnant women or their unborn babies are not known. You and your healthcare professional will need to decide if taking PREZISTA^® is right for you
  • Do not breastfeed. It is not known if PREZISTA^® can be passed to your baby in your breast milk and whether it could harm your baby. Also, mothers with HIV should not breastfeed because HIV can be passed to your baby in the breast milk

What are the possible side effects of PREZISTA^®?

• High blood sugar, diabetes or worsening of diabetes, and increased bleeding in people with hemophilia have been reported in patients taking protease inhibitor medicines, including PREZISTA^®
• Changes in body fat have been seen in some patients taking HIV medicines, including PREZISTA^®. The cause and long-term health effects of these conditions are not known at this time
• Changes in your immune system can happen when you start taking HIV medicines. Your immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden
• The most common side effects related to taking PREZISTA^® include diarrhea, nausea, rash, headache, stomach pain, and vomiting. This is not a complete list of all possible side effects. If you experience these or other side effects, talk to your healthcare professional. Do not stop taking PREZISTA^® or any other medicines without first talking to your healthcare professional

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit www.fda.gov/medwatch, or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please refer to the ritonavir (Norvir^®) Product Information (PI and PPI) for additional information on precautionary measures.

Please see full Prescribing Information for more details, available at http://PREZISTA.com/sites/default/files/pdf/us_package_insert.pdf

About Janssen Research & Development, LLC
At Janssen, we are dedicated to addressing and solving some of the most important unmet medical needs of our time in oncology, immunology, neuroscience, infectious diseases and vaccines, and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Driven by our commitment to patients, we develop innovative products, services and healthcare solutions to help people throughout the world. Janssen Research & Development, LLC is part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. Please visit http://www.janssenrnd.com for more information.  

(This press release contains "forward-looking statements" as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 regarding product development.  The reader is cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These statements are based on current expectations of future events.  If underlying assumptions prove inaccurate or unknown risks or uncertainties materialize, actual results could vary materially from the expectations and projections of Janssen Research & Development, LLC, any of the other Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies and/or Johnson & Johnson.  Risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: economic factors, such as interest rate and currency exchange rate fluctuations; competition, including technological advances, new products and patents attained by competitors; challenges inherent in new product development, including obtaining regulatory approvals; challenges to patents; changes in behavior and spending patterns or financial distress of purchasers of health care products and services; changes to governmental laws and regulations and domestic and foreign health care reforms; general industry conditions including trends toward health care cost containment; and increased scrutiny of the health care industry by government agencies.  A further list and description of these risks, uncertainties and other factors can be found in Johnson & Johnson's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 29, 2013, including in Exhibit 99 thereto, and our subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.  Copies of these filings are available online at www.sec.gov, www.jnj.com or on request from Johnson & Johnson.  None of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies or Johnson & Johnson undertakes to update any forward-looking statement as a result of new information or future events or developments.)

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