Rx+Research

Researchers have identified 15 key blood proteins that are expressed differently in Kenyan women who have exhibited resistance to HIV infection than they are among women who are susceptible to infection. About half these proteins were more common in the resistant women, while half were less common. Researchers plan to create microbicides that mimic the proteins' functions and concentrations. --------------------- Early studies of the Ardea Biosciences experimental nonnuke RDEA806 indicate the compound has a high genetic barrier to resistance and little cross-resistance with other meds in its class, according to researchers reporting at the 48th International Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy. --------------------- Norvir, when used with interferon-based hepatitis C treatment, can hamper the effectiveness of hepatitis therapy, researchers reported at ICAAC. Ziagen was shown to have no adverse effect. A second study presented at the Ninth International Congress on Drug Therapy in HIV Infection has shown that both Reyataz and Intelence are safe and well tolerated among HIVers coinfected with hepatitis B or C. --------------------- Lexiva is just as effective with a lower 100-milligram booster dose of Norvir as with the currently recommended 200-milligram booster, according to a study presented at ICAAC. --------------------- TAT2, a chemical found in plants that are commonly used in Chinese herbal therapy, can prolong the life of the immune system's killer T cells, allowing them to fight HIV longer, according to a study in the November 15 edition of the Journal of Immunology. Researchers now hope to develop TAT2-based treatments to slow HIV disease progression. --------------------- Investigational HIV maturation inhibitor bevirimat was shown to significantly suppress HIV viral levels in treatment-experienced HIVers with infections resistant to at least one anti-HIV medication, according to results of a Phase II clinical study. --------------------- A comparison of Epzicom and Truvada, taken in combination with Kaletra, indicates that both medications have comparable virologic efficacy and safety among both treatment-experienced and treatment-naive HIVers through 96 weeks of therapy. --------------------- A Phase III study of Isentress has shown that the integrase inhibitor is more effective in boosting CD4-cell levels and has significantly fewer side effects than the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor Sustiva. Isentress's maker, Merck, has filed an application with the Food and Drug Administration for approval of the antiretroviral medication for first-line therapy; it currently is approved only for treatment-experienced HIV-positive individuals. --------------------- GeoVax Labs has announced the launch of a Phase IIa human clinical trial of its experimental 'prime-boost' HIV vaccine, which uses three key HIV proteins to first prime the body's immune system to recognize and attack an invading virus and then boost antiviral activity against it. The trial is under way at 12 sites in North America and South America.