Fuzeon is injected twice a day

One man tells BBC News Online's Ray Dunne how the drug, called Fuzeon, has helped him.

John is 28-years-old. He was diagnosed with HIV nine years ago.

Since then, he has taken a variety of different drugs to try to fight the virus.

They have had varying degrees of success.

I became resistant to many of the drugs. Nothing was working

However, in recent years his treatment has become more complex. Fewer of the drugs were working

"I became resistant to many of the drugs. Nothing was working," he says.

Blocks the virus

John heard about this latest drug from his doctors.

Unlike other drugs, Fuzeon works by blocking the virus and preventing it from entering healthy immune cells. Other drugs attack the virus when it is inside these cells.

It is aimed at patients who are resistant to existing HIV treatments.

My viral load has been coming down since I have been on this new drug

"My doctors told me about it and suggested I should put myself forward."

John started taking Fuzeon almost 18 months ago. He injects himself with the drug every morning and evening.

"I inject it twice a day into my stomach or into my leg, anywhere where there is no muscle really.

"I do the injections in the morning and at night, 12 hours apart.

"To begin with it was a bit difficult. I have never had to inject myself like that before but I soon got the hang of it.

"It is now part of my daily routine and I have a system in operation."

Reacting well

John has reacted well to the treatment.

"Before the drug, I was feeling tired and rundown.

"I am feeling much better now. Before I used to have two or three days a week when I was feeling a bit crappy.

"Certainly with this drug, I am feeling a lot better. There may be just one day a week when I am feeling a bit rough.

"My viral load has been coming down since I have been on this new drug.

"I am glad to have found something that appears to be working.

"Hopefully, it is slowing down the process a bit.

"I am feeling more positive and hopeful."