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The Neurology AIDS Research Consortium (NARC) is a self-governed organization with its own scientific agenda and process to determine what will be evaluated in its clinical trials. Non-NARC investigators wishing to evaluate potential therapies in the NARC must collaborate with NARC investigators.

The NARC is comprised of 26 research sites collaborating closely with the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group (AACTG). Major studies are developed and operated cooperatively with the AACTG and supported jointly by the NIAID and by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). Smaller trials exclusive to the NARC are developed and coordinated by the NARC-supported Phase I/II study group.

NARC Research Agenda

The NARC was established by NINDS in an effort to improve coordination of clinical research on HIV-associated neurological complications.

Examples of studies:

• Testing the efficacy of recombinant human nerve growth factor for HIV-associated painful distal sensory neuropathy.
• Studying the natural history of HIV as related to neuropsychologic disease through neuropsychometric testing provided as a "piggyback" investigation in the context of Phase III anti-retroviral treatment trials.
• Comparing amitriptyline to mexiletine for the treatment of painful neuropathy in AIDS patients.
• Determining the natural history of progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) with current HIV therapy.
• Investigating tolerability of cidofovir in combination with highly active antiretroviral therapy for PML.
• Investigating novel neuroprotective agents for HIV-associated cognitive disease.

For more information about the NARC and its research, please click here .

Accessing These Resources

Investigators wishing to have a therapy evaluated by the NARC should do the following:

1. Refer to the NARC research agenda above to determine whether the therapeutic concept is likely to be of interest to this group. If so:
2. Write a concept proposal in the AACTG Concept Proposal format.
3. Submit the concept proposal to the DAIDS Therapeutics Research Program for review and forwarding to the NARC.

NARC's interest or disinterest in further pursuing the proposed concept will be relayed to investigators and additional information may be requested.