NAPWA

A next-generation NNRTI under development by ViiV is currently undergoing a multi-centre, randomisedA method based on chance by which study participants are assigned to a treatment group. Randomization minimizes the differences among groups by equally distributing people with particular characteristics among all the trial arms. The researchers do not know which treatment is better. From what is known at the time, any one of the treatments chosen could be of benefit to the participant double-blindA clinical trialA clinical trial is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines or new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people. Trials are in four phases: Phase I tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase II expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase III expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IV takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. design in which neither the participating individuals nor the study staff knows which participants are receiving the experimental(Of a drug) Not licensed for use in humans, or as a treatment for a particular condition. Experimental drugs are studied in clinical trials to determine their safety and efficacy, and are sometimes made available via Special Access Schemes prior to their approval. drug and which are receiving a placeboA dummy medical treatment, designed to have no pharmacological effect, administered to the control group of a clinical trial. (or another therapy). Double-blind trials are thought to produce objective results, since the expectations of the doctor and the participant about the experimental drug do not affect the outcome; also called double-masked study. Phase IIb trial comparing it with efavirenz in treatment-naïve PLHIVPerson (or people) Living with HIV. This term is now preferred over the older PLWHAPerson (or People) Living with HIV/AIDS... read more »

Dr Mark Bloch from Holdsworth House in Sydney presented the 48-week results of the combined ECHO and THRIVE studies which determined that the new NNRTI rilpivirine (RPV) is as effective as efavirenz (EFV) for first-line treatment.

Everyone in the studies received a nucleoside backbone to their treatment – in ECHO it was Truvada, in THRIVE it was tenfovir/3TC or abacavir/3TC. read more »

Adrian Ogier gives the low-down on latest antiretroviralA medication or other substance which is active against retroviruses such as HIV. treatments. read more »

The 6th IAS Conference on HIV Pathogenesis, Treatment and Prevention was held in Rome last week from 17-20 July. This meeting is held every two years and alternates with the much larger World AIDS Conferences also organised by the International AIDS Society (IAS). read more »

Aside from making people feel terrible when they drink, a drug used for years to treat alcoholism, Antabuse, apparently also has the ability to activate immune cells.

Whether it can activate latently infected cells and make them vulnerable to HIV treatment and the immune system is not yet known, but that is what a small US study seeks to understand. read more »

The Australasian HIV/AIDS Conference was held in Sydney in October. Here are some of the treatment highlights: read more »

Adrian Ogier gives a round up of treatments news from the Vienna Conference. read more »

Melbourne-based biotech Avexa has announced the closure of its lead HIV program for apricitabine after failing to attract a licensing partner for the Phase IIIA large clinical trialA clinical trial is a research study to answer specific questions about vaccines or new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective. Carefully conducted clinical trials are the fastest and safest way to find treatments that work in people. Trials are in four phases: Phase I tests a new drug or treatment in a small group; Phase II expands the study to a larger group of people; Phase III expands the study to an even larger group of people; and Phase IV takes place after the drug or treatment has been licensed and marketed. designed to establish whether a drug is effective and safe enough for widespread use. Phase III studies include expanded controlled and uncontrolled trials after preliminary evidence suggesting effectiveness(Of a drug or treatment). The maximum ability of a drug or treatment to produce a result regardless of dosage. A drug passes efficacy trials if it is effective at the dose tested and against the illness for which it is prescribed. In the standard procedure, Phase II clinical trials gauge efficacy, and Phase III trials confirm it. of the drug has been obtained, and are intended to gather additional information to evaluate the overall benefit-risk relationship of the drug and provide and adequate basis for physician labeling. drug. read more »

PRO 2000, the microbicide gel, has failed to protect women against HIV infection in the largest microbicide study to date. read more »

A new Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase InhibitorA type of anti-HIV drug which works by interfering with an enzyme, reverse transcriptase, that HIV needs to reproduce. – etravirine – will be listed on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme[Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme] The federal government program which subsidises medication costs in Australia. Anti-HIV drugs are part of a special part of the PBS called Section 100 (S100) which is used for expensive, highly specialised drugs. (PBS) from July 1. read more »