
Treatment GuideJust DiagnosedSex & DatingAfrican AmericanStigmaAsk the HIV DocPrEP En EspañolNewsVoicesPrint IssueVideoOut 100
CONTACTCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2025 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Treatment options for people with HIV have increased now that two new classes of drugs--integrase inhibitors and chemokine receptor blockers--have come to market. Medications in both of these new classes are available now, but you need to be careful in how you use them. The first integrase inhibitor, raltegravir (Isentress), works by blocking the 'integration' of HIV into the DNA of our CD4 cells. By doing this, it prevents HIV from taking over our immune cells and making more copies of itself. So far, studies show that this drug is powerful at reducing viral loads and increasing CD4 counts. Additionally, studies indicate that this drug is metabolically 'friendly,' meaning that it does not cause increases in 'bad' cholesterol or blood-sugar levels. This is very important, since people with HIV are at increased risk for heart disease, diabetes, and body changes caused by lipodystrophy. Other good features of this drug are that it can be safely combined with other medications and its potential for drug interactions is very low. Although raltegravir has these promising characteristics, it cannot be used alone. Other antiretrovirals need to be combined with it to make it effective and to prevent the development of resistance against this powerful new medication class. The second new drug to come to market is the entry inhibitor maraviroc (Selzentry), which works by blocking the CCR5, or R5, receptor, one of two on the CD4 cell that HIV uses to make its entry. When blocked by maraviroc, HIV is left hanging until it is destroyed by our immune cells. The other receptor that HIV can use to enter our CD4 cells is the CXCR4, or X4, receptor. Maraviroc will only work if your virus is R5--it cannot block X4 virus. Therefore, before you can use this new medication you will need to have your blood screened to verify which receptor (also called a tropism) your virus uses. A test called the trofile assay requires a simple blood draw and returns results in about two weeks. Your chances of having a virus with only an R5 receptor are greater if you are not heavily treatment-experienced--meaning that you have not been on a lot of anti-HIV meds--and have never had a CD4 count of less than 200 cells. If properly used, maraviroc is potent at lowering viral loads and raising CD4 counts. Unlike raltegravir, this drug's concentration is affected by other drugs, so you and your health care provider will need to review all your other medications to ensure that this drug is properly dosed. And finally, similar to raltegravir, this drug is well-tolerated and is not likely to worsen cholesterol or blood-sugar levels.
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Lexi Love comes out as HIV+ after Trump deletes federal resources
January 23 2025 11:23 AM
Grindr is reminding us why jockstraps are so sexy and iconic
May 02 2025 5:36 PM
BREAKING NEWS: Trump admin moves to end federal HIV prevention programs
March 18 2025 6:10 PM
Trump's orders prompt CDC to erase HIV resources
January 31 2025 5:29 PM
Celebrating Black History Month with our annual African American issue
February 01 2025 3:28 PM
Discover the power of Wellness in your life
March 26 2025 12:41 PM
Tyler TerMeer vows to continue to fight for health care for all
January 28 2025 3:00 PM
Plus: Featured Video
Latest Stories
Trump admin guts $258 million in funding for HIV vaccine research
June 03 2025 3:47 PM
HRC holds 'die-in' to protest Trump health care cuts
April 28 2025 2:11 PM
Two right-wing Supreme Court justices signal they may uphold access to PrEP and more
April 21 2025 4:10 PM
500,000 Children at Risk: PEPFAR Funding Crisis
April 08 2025 3:51 PM
Broadway's best raise over $1 million for LGBTQ+ and HIV causes
April 03 2025 7:15 PM
The Talk Season 5 premieres this spring with HIV guidance for the newly diagnosed
March 26 2025 1:00 PM
Season 4 of The Switch on resilience & radical self-love returns this spring
March 26 2025 12:20 PM
Jess King is here to help you live your happiest, healthiest life yet
March 24 2025 4:35 PM
Gerald Garth is keeping people of color happy and healthy through trying times
March 11 2025 3:38 PM
Plus nominated for 2025 GLAAD Media Award
January 22 2025 12:42 PM
A camp for HIV-positive kids is for sale. Here's why its founder is celebrating
January 02 2025 12:21 PM
This long-term HIV survivor says testosterone therapy helped save his life.
December 16 2024 8:00 PM
'RuPaul's Drag Race' star Trinity K Bonet quietly comes out trans
December 15 2024 6:27 PM
Ricky Martin delivers showstopping performance for 2024 World AIDS Day
December 05 2024 12:08 PM
AIDS Memorial Quilt displayed at White House for the first time
December 02 2024 1:21 PM
Decades of progress, uniting to fight HIV/AIDS
December 01 2024 12:30 PM
Hollywood must do better on HIV representation
December 01 2024 9:00 AM
Climate change is disrupting access to HIV treatment
November 25 2024 11:05 AM