Lopinavir was developed by Abbott in an attempt to improve on the AIDS resistance and serum protein-binding properties of the company’s earlier protease inhibitor, ritonavir. Given alone, lopinavir has too low of abioavailability, but, like many HIV protease inhibitors its blood plasma levels can be greatly increased by using low doses of rionavir. Abbott decided to employ a stretegy of co administering lopiavir with doses of rionavir and lopinavir is then marketed as a formulation containing ritonavir. Its the first HIV medication to not be offered individually.

Kaletra Lopinavir/ritonavir was approved for use by the FDA on September 2000, and 1 year later in Europe. The patent in the United States will expire in 2016.

Abbott was one of the first users of the APS, a synchrotron radiation light source at Argonne Nat. Lab. One early reseach project undertaken at the APS was HIV. Using X-ray crystallography, researchers found the points of attack of the HIV protease inhibitors – agents that block the breakdown of proteins. Protease inhibitors stop HIV from making new copies of itself by blocking the last step in the process, when the virus attempts to replicate – and out of that discovery came the drug Kaletra (lopinavir).

Abbott Laboratories was one of the earliest users of the Advanced Photon Source, a national synchrotron-radiation light source at Argonne National Laboratory. One of the early research projects undertaken at the Advanced Photon Source was the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. Using x ray crystallography, researchers located the points of attack of HIV protease inhibitors, medication that block the breakdown of proteins. PI’s help stop HIV from making copies of itself by stopping the last step in the process when the virus attempts to replicate and out of that discovery came the drug Lopinavir.