A PIONEERING new drug designed to fight against HIV has been developed by Pfizer scientists in Kent.

Developed by Sandwich-based drug giant Pfizer, Maraviroc is the first new oral class of HIV treatment in more than a decade, after being made available to patients in the UK on Monday.

It is the first HIV treatment that works on the body rather than on the virus. This development now enables clinicians to build treatment regimens that work on the body and the virus at the same time and target HIV both inside and outside the cell.

Dr David Gillen, medical director at Pfizer, said: “Maraviroc is Pfizer’s pioneering contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS.

“It represents cutting edge science and is a significant innovation in the treatment of HIV infection. We are proud of this achievement and will continue to work tirelessly to discover and develop other medicines for difficult to treat diseases”.

Professor Margaret Johnson, chairman of the British HIV Association said: “The introduction of Maraviroc is incredibly important for the HIV community. HIV is known to mutate aggressively and some patients become resistant to the treatments available. New drugs and particularly new classes of treatment are fundamental for continued good health.”