1988

Merck & Co., Inc. (Merck) researchers are the firstto demonstrate that the inhibition of the proteaseenzyme would prevent replication of HIV.

1989

Merck scientists publish the first crystal structurefor HIV protease, which led to the developmentof a new, powerful class of medicines calledprotease inhibitors.

1990

In the UK, Prime Minister John Major announcedthat the Government would pay £42 Millioncompensation to haemophiliacs infected withHIV, and their dependants.

1991

Merck reaches out to HIV community formingfirst HIV Community Ad board. The Red Ribbonis first used as a symbol of the campaignagainst HIV and AIDS.

1992

The first clinical trials using combinations of multipledrugs begin; FDA begins accelerated approval ofexperimental AIDS drugs.

1993

Under the leadership of Dr Daria Hazuda*, researchbegins at Merck on a new target, integrase, theHIV enzyme responsible for inserting (integrating)viral genes into the DNA of the host cell, effectivelyturning the host cell into a “factory” for producingmore of the HIV virus.*Now Vice President, Scientific Affairs, Infectious Diseases.

A Benetton advertisement (incorrectly) depicts US President Ronald Reagan with Kaposi’s Sarcoma lesions, a common signal of AIDS before Highly ActiveAntiretroviral Therapy (HAART).

1994

1995

Crixivan (indinavir), the first protease inhibitor, speedsthrough phase II trials and Merck forms its first HIVmarketing team.

1996

MSD launches its protease inhibitorCrixivan® (indinavir).Journal of the American Medical Associationpublishes new recommendations for HIV treatmentwith a combination of drugs from different classes -HAART (Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy).

Early in 1997 it was reported that, for the first timesince the AIDS epidemic became visible in 1981,the number of deaths from AIDS had droppedsubstantially across the USA.

1997

1998

San Francisco started a pioneering Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) programme giving HIV drugs to people that might have been exposed to HIV through sexual contact or needle sharing.

Merck introduces efavirenz, a non-nucleosidereverse transcriptase inhibitor in the US and othercountries; in the UK it is marketed as ‘Sustiva’ byBristol-Myers Squibb. It now forms part of a newtriple-combination therapy, ‘Atripla’.

1999

2000

Prince Charles visits London Lighthouse,the pioneering, purpose-built, palliative careand support centre for people with HIV and AIDS.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan launches his callto action, including the creation of a global fund onAIDS and health.

2001

Botswana became the first African country tobegin providing antiretroviral treatment throughthe public sector. Merck is donating its ARVmedicines to Botswana’s national ARV treatmentprogramme - known as Masa (“dawn”).

2002

In his State of the Union address on 28th January,US President George Bush proposed spending$15 billion in combating AIDS in Africa and theCaribbean over the next 5 years. He called thescheme ‘a great mission of rescue.’

2003

Research underway for MK-0518, Merck’s secondattempt at inhibiting the integrase enzyme.

2004

Merck grants a royalty-free licence for aninvestigational compound known as CMPD167 tothe International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM)for development, manufacture and distribution asa microbicide for use in developing countries toreduce transmission of HIV to women.

2005

The Gates Foundation - the world’s largest privatesource of funding for HIV and AIDS - received asubstantial boost to its finances in June, when thebillionaire Warren Buffet promised to donate $31billion over ten years.

2006

The Queen shakes hand with HIV positivepatients in Uganda.Raltegravir receives fast-track approval fromboth the FDA and the CHMP.

2007

After 15 years of research and 5 years of clinicaltrials, Merck launches ‘Isentress’®, the first in anew class of antiretroviral drugs called IntegraseInhibitors.

This is excellent news for people who are resistant to otherHIV drugs. A combination of drugs is used to stop HIV atdifferent stages of the process of entering and destroying thebody’s immune cells. If someone becomes resistant to any oftheir drugs, their treatment needs to be changed, and drugs which work in innovative ways can make a real difference.

Roger Pebody, Terrence Higgins Trust

2008