New drug shows promise

Source: AIDSMAP

There are currently over 20 drugs available to treat HIV, but there is still a need for new drugs. This is mainly because HIV can become resistant to the drugs used to treat it. Researchers are not only trying to develop drugs that have a powerful effect against HIV, but that are also easy to take and cause fewer side-effects than those that are currently available.

CCR5 inhibitors are a new class of anti-HIV drug. They prevent HIV from binding to the surface of key CD4 immune system calls. One CCR5 inhibitor, maraviroc (Celsentri) has already been approved and another, vicriviroc, is doing very well in clinical trials.

Researchers are working on another type of drug that targets CCR5. It uses a special type of human antibody called “monoclonal antibodies.” Their main advantage could be that they only have to be taken every two weeks, or possibly even just once a month, but still have a powerful anti-HIV effect.

The safety and effectiveness of an experimental drug that uses this technology, called HGS004, was examined in a small study involving 63 HIV-positive patients. They were not taking any other anti-HIV drugs. The patients were randomised and given a single injection consisting of one of five different doses of the drug or a placebo.

Three of the doses led to big falls in viral load, that lasted as long as 28 days in some of the people who received the higher dose. The drug appeared safe. A similar drug that is also in development called HGS101 is thought to be five to ten times more powerful.