The price of antiviral drugs used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS is set to increase as more physicians embrace new, innovative combination medicines, a new report has found.

Researchers found that the cost of annual treatment for HIV/AIDS increased to an average of $12,829 in 2010 from $9,971 in 2002 and is set to continue to rise.

The report noted that the cost of treatment has increased steadily over the past decade after the launch of new combination therapies.

These new treatments are expensive but have demonstrated their worth through impressive efficacy, particularly in patients who have developed a resistance to standard options, and have become the treatment of choice for doctors.

As a result, revenue from the global HIV/AIDS market grew at a compound average growth rate of 10.9% from 2002 to 2010.

This year a number of key brands used in the treatment of HIV/AIDS will lose patent protection. Sustiva and Combivir will go off patent in 2012 after Epivir, Epzicom, Trizivir, Ziagen, Invirase and Lexiva lost protection in either 2010 or 2009.

Whilst generic alternatives have now been made available, it is the use of these combination medications which has seen the market continue to grow.

The market is also expanding, the report found, due to decreasing mortality and increasing treatment-seeking rates, which has encouraged further pharmaceutical innovation.

This innovation has been highlighted with the release of Gilead’s new Quad treatment and late-stage pipeline products including Edurant and Vicriviroc.

The Marketing Authorisation Application for Gilead Sciences Quad single-tablet regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 has been validated by the EMA.

The application is supported by results from two Phase III studies which demonstrated the tablet’s safety and efficacy data and by clinical data for the individual components of the Quad and Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) information.

Norbert Bischofberger, Executive Vice President, Research and Development and Chief Scientific Officer, Gilead Sciences, says Gilead is working with the regulator “to bring this new single-tablet regimen to physicians and patients as quickly as possible”.

The regimen contains elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and was submitted to the EMA in November 2011. The submission to the FDA was made in October 2011.

Gilead’s first single-table regimen, Atripla, was approved in the EU in 2007. Its second single-tablet regimen, Eviplera – which combines its Truvada and Tibotec Pharmaceutical’s rilpivirine – was approved in the EU in November 2011.

“Based on the safety and efficacy data from the Phase 3 pivotal studies, we believe the Quad single-tablet regimen has the potential to be a convenient treatment option for patients new to HIV therapy,” said Norbert Bischofberger.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gilead Sciences have signed a licensing agreement to develop and commercialise a potential fixed-dose combination single pill for the treatment of HIV.

The combination would include BMS’ protease inhibitor Reyataz (atazanavir sulfate) and Gilead’s pharmacoenhancing agent cobicistat.

Elliott Sigal, Executive Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and President, R&D, BMS, says the pill has the potential “simplify HIV therapy” and address unmet needs for innovative treatment options.

The combination is currently being studied in Phase II and Phase III studies in HIV-1 treatment-naive patients.

Reyataz is a prescription medicine used in combination with other medicines to treat people aged 6 years of age and older who are infected with HIV. Gilead’s cobicistat is a boosting agent that increases blood levels of certain strains of the virus.

Under the terms of the agreement, BMS will be responsible for the worldwide formulation, manufacturing, development, registration, distribution, and commercialisation. It will pay Gilead an undisclosed royalty based on the annual net sales of the product when released.

“This collaboration with Gilead builds on Bristol-Myers Squibb’s longstanding commitment to develop medicines that have the potential to provide meaningful benefit to HIV patients, specifically aiming to enhance treatment options,” said Mr Sigal.

Gilead will retain the sole rights for the manufacturing, development and commercialisation of cobicistat as a stand-alone product and for any future combinations with other agents.