FOSTER CITY, Calif. — Drug makers Bristol-Myers Squibb and Gilead Sciences announced an agreement to develop and commercialize a fixed-dose combination treatment for patients with HIV.

The two companies said the drug will combine Bristol's Reyataz (atazanavir sulfate) and Gilead's boosting agent cobicistat, which is designed to increase blood levels of certain HIV medicines to potentially allow for one-pill, once-daily dosing. Gilead is currently studying Reyataz and cobicistat in phase-2 and phase-3 trials.

"This collaboration with Gilead builds on Bristol-Myers Squibb's long-standing commitment to develop medicines that have the potential to improve meaningful benefit to HIV patients, specifically aiming to enhance treatment options," Bristol EVP, chief scientific officer and president for research and development Elliott Sigal said. "A Reyataz and cobicistat fixed-dose combination has the potential not only to help simplify HIV therapy but also to address an unmet medical need in HIV for additional, innovative treatment options."

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