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Study: Atripla Shown Effective in Five-Days-a-Week Regimen
"In a new study, patients who took a three-in-one combination AIDS pill five days a week fared just as well as those who took the drug every day. The results could have important implications both for the cost of AIDS care and for the ability of patients to comply with treatment regimens. ... The patients on the reduced dosing plan kept their viral loads just as low during the six-month study as those who took the medicine every day, said Calvin Cohen, one of the researchers. ... Longer, larger studies are needed, however. Cohen cautioned: 'I'm not pretending this is the standard of care. The field deserves much more robust data set before adopting something like this.'"
Study: T Cells Genetically Engineered to Recognize HIV-Infected Cells
"Researchers on Sunday reported that they genetically engineered immune cells that can detect HIV even when it tries to disguise itself, potentially suggesting a new way to treat HIV infection. Engineered versions of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), also known as CD8 killer T cells, were able to recognize other cells infected by HIV and slow HIV's spread in lab dishes. ... The researchers plan to begin testing the treatment in HIV patients in 2009."
Study: Nevirapine During Labor May Increase Later Resistance
"HIV-positive women given a single dose of nevirapine during labor to prevent mother-to-baby transmission face an increased risk of resistance to the drug and premature death if later treated with a regimen containing nevirapine, researchers said recently. ... Women who were given single-dose nevirapine should be closely monitored for resistance and switched to Kaletra if their virus shows evidence of resistance, the study group said."
Study: Blocking Tim-3 Activity Improves Immune Cell Function
"A method of 'rescuing' immune cells exhausted from fighting HIV infection has been discovered by American and Canadian researchers.
"They found that a molecule called Tim-3 is present at high levels in poorly functioning immune cells worn out from combating HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Blocking the activity of Tim-3 improved the function of these cells, so that they could jump back into the fight against HIV infection[.]"
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