{
  "patent_number": "US 9744181",
  "country": "US",
  "title": "How Gilead Stabilized the HIV Combination Pill Truvada",
  "original_title": "Compositions and methods for combination antiviral therapy",
  "summary": "A patent detailing a stable, fixed-dose combination of two HIV drugs, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine, designed to prevent chemical breakdown in a single tablet.",
  "what_it_does": "This patent describes a specific pharmaceutical formulation that combines two potent antiviral drugs, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine, into a single, stable tablet. A major challenge in combining these drugs is that they can chemically react with each other or degrade when exposed to heat and humidity, rendering the medication ineffective. The patent specifies a precise mixture of excipients—inactive substances like pregelatinized starch, croscarmellose sodium, and lactose monohydrate—that act as a protective matrix. By maintaining these specific ratios and using a desiccant during storage, the tablet achieves a high level of chemical stability, ensuring less than 5% degradation even after six months in harsh conditions.",
  "what_it_does_not_cover": [
    "Does not cover the individual chemical compounds tenofovir disoproxil fumarate or emtricitabine themselves.",
    "Does not cover liquid formulations or other non-tablet delivery methods for these drugs.",
    "Does not cover combinations that do not meet the specific stability threshold of less than 5% degradation under the stated temperature and humidity conditions.",
    "Does not cover generic combinations that use different excipients or ratios outside of the specific formulations claimed."
  ],
  "filed": "2014-10-24",
  "granted": "2017-08-29",
  "expires": null,
  "status": "active",
  "holder": "Gilead Sciences Inc",
  "holder_url": "https://patentbrief.org/company/gilead-sciences-inc",
  "inventors": [
    {
      "name": "Reza Oliyai",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/reza-oliyai"
    },
    {
      "name": "Terrence C. Dahl",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/terrence-c-dahl"
    },
    {
      "name": "Mark M. Menning",
      "url": "https://patentbrief.org/inventor/mark-m-menning"
    }
  ],
  "times_cited": 0,
  "tags": [
    "pharmaceutical",
    "biotech"
  ],
  "abstract": "The present invention relates to therapeutic combinations of [2-(6-amino-purin-9 yl)-1-methyl-ethoxymethyl]-phosphonic acid diisopropoxycarbonyloxymethyl ester (tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, Viread®) and (2R,5S,cis)-4-amino-5-fluoro-1-(2 hydroxymethyl-1,3-oxathiolan-5-yl)-(1H)-pyrimidin-2-one (emtricitabine, Emtriva™, (−)-cis FTC) and their physiologically functional derivatives. The combinations may be useful in the treatment of HIV infections, including infections with HIV mutants bearing resistance to nucleoside and/or non-nucleoside inhibitors. The present invention is also concerned with pharmaceutical compositions and formulations of said combinations of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and emtricitabine, and their physiologically functional derivatives, as well as therapeutic methods of use of those compositions and formulations.",
  "url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9744181/harvoni-ledipasvir-sofosbuvir",
  "markdown_url": "https://patentbrief.org/patent/us/9744181/harvoni-ledipasvir-sofosbuvir/md",
  "google_patents_url": "https://patents.google.com/patent/US9744181",
  "relatedPatents": []
}