Bevirimat is an experimental medication being developed for the treatment of HIV and AIDS. This drug works by interfering with some of the later stages in the HIV reproduction process. Although some clinical testing has been performed on this medication, there is insufficient data regarding side effects.
Nausea and Headache
Because Bevirimat has not been studied in any large-scale trials, information about its potential side effects is still incomplete. Reported side effects for Bevirimat include nausea and headache, AIDSmeds reports. A 2007 article published in "Clinical Pharmacokinetics," detailed the testing of the safety and side effects of repeated dosing of Bevirimat in healthy volunteers. This study, which was performed by Panacos Pharmaceuticals in Maryland, did not identify any clinically significant organ damage or change in vital signs, suggesting that the medication is safe to be taken in multiple doses. Bevirimat has a half-life in the body of between 56.3 and 69.5 hours, this study found.
Decreased Viral Load
Several different clinical studies have tested the effectiveness of Bevirimat, AIDSInfo explains. These studies tested a wide range of doses of Bevirimat and for many patients a decrease in viral load was observed. This is relevant because viral load is one test which is used to measure the progress of a HIV infection; a lowered viral load means that the virus is replicating more slowly. Because Bevirimat works differently than other HIV medications, it may be useful for patients who have not responded well to other anti-HIV medications, AIDSmeds.com explains. There are some genetic mutations that are contained by some strains of HIV, however, that make Bevirimat ineffective. Approximately 40 percent of all people infected with HIV have strains which contain these genetic changes, AIDSMeds states, which means that they will not respond well to Bevirimat.
Study Limitations
One of the main limitations in determining the side effects of Bevirimat is that it has only been studied thus far in Phase II trials, which have fewer test subjects. More extensive testing is needed to learn more about the safety of this medication. On the other hand, Myriad Genetics, the developer of Bevirimat, announced in June of 2010 that it was discontinuing its HIV drug development program, AIDSmeds reports. This means that additional clinical trials will not occur unless another company acquires the rights to Bevirimat. A search of clinical trials involving Bevirimat showed that there are no ongoing studies for Bevirimat.
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