AIDS Clinical Trials Group

About: AIDS Clinical Trials Group is a nonprofit organization based out in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Zidovudine & Didanosine. The organization has 90 authors who have published 66 publications receiving 4099 citations.

Baseline Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Phenotype, Genotype, and RNA Response after Switching from Long-Term Hard-Capsule Saquinavir to Indinavir or Soft-Gel—Capsule Saquinavir in AIDS Clinical Trials Group Protocol 333

Abstract: AIDS Clinical Trials Group protocol 333 was an open-label trial of a switch from saquinavir (SQV) hard capsules (SQVhc) to indinavir (IDV) or saquinavir soft-gel capsules (SQVsgc) after 148 weeks of prior treatment with SQVhc. Eighty-nine subjects received IDV or SQVsgc or continued to receive SQVhc and continued unchanged treatment with non‐protease-inhibitor antivirals for 8 weeks. Subjects receiving SQVhc then switched treatment to IDV. Baseline drug susceptibility and protease gene sequencing were done; 12 codons related to IDV and SQV resistance were analyzed. After 112 weeks (median) of SQVhc, the fall in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1 RNA level from baseline was significantly greater with IDV and was inversely correlated with the number of protease substitutions. The number of substitutions also correlated with baseline CD4 cell count, HIV-1 RNA level, SQV experience, and drug susceptibility. Substitution at codon 10, which occurred only in isolates with >2 substitutions, was associated with blunted RNA response. IDV IC50 correlated with HIV-1 RNA response after the switch to IDV but added little predictive power once the genotype was considered.

The Dose Response: Perceptions of People Living with HIV in the United States on Alternatives to Oral Daily Antiretroviral Therapy

Abstract: There are two concurrent and novel major research pathways toward strategies for HIV control: (1) long-acting antiretroviral therapy (ART) formulations and (2) research aimed at conferring sustained ART-free HIV remission, considered a step toward an HIV cure. The importance of perspectives from people living with HIV on the development of new modalities is high, but data are lacking. We administered an online survey in which respondents selected their likelihood of participation or nonparticipation in HIV cure/remission research based on potential risks and perceived benefits of these new modalities. We also tested the correlation between perceptions of potential risks and benefits with preferences of virologic control strategies and/or responses to scenario choices, while controlling for respondent characteristics. Of the 282 eligible respondents, 42% would be willing to switch from oral daily ART to long-acting ART injectables or implantables taken at 6-month intervals, and 24% to a hypothetical ART-free remission strategy. We found statistically significant gender differences in perceptions of risk and preferences of HIV control strategies, and possible psychosocial factors that could mediate willingness to switch to novel HIV treatment or remission options. Our study yielded data on possible desirable product characteristics for future HIV treatment and remission options. Findings also revealed differences in motivations and preferences across gender and other sociodemographic characteristics that may be actionable as part of research recruitment efforts. The diversity of participant perspectives reveals the need to provide a variety of therapeutic options to people living with HIV and to acknowledge their diverse experiential expertise when developing novel HIV therapies.

Long-term follow-up of health care workers with work-site exposure to human immunodeficiency virus.

Abstract: To the Editor.— Recently, the issue of risk for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection among health care workers has received heightened attention in both the lay and medical press, with an underlying theme of this renewed concern being a distrust of the current data ( Newsweek . November 20, 1989:82-83). 1 Current Centers for Disease Control guidelines are predicated on the observed HIV seroconversion rate of 0.42% seen in studies of health care workers who suffer documented work-site exposure to HIV. 2,3 Health care workers with exposure to body fluids of HIV-infected persons are frequently traumatized emotionally and may be advised to begin prophylaxis with zidovudine. 4 Data such as those reported by Imagawa et al 5 and Haseltine 6 raise the possibility that the false-negative rate of HIV serological testing might be significant in certain populations. Since the Centers for Disease Control recommendations regarding HIV exposure of health care workers were

Barriers to a cure for HIV in women.

Abstract: Introduction: Distinct biological factors exist that affect the natural history of HIV and the host immune response between women and men. These differences must be addressed to permit the optimal design of effective HIV eradication strategies for much of the HIV-positive population. Methods and results: Here, we review the literature on sex-based differences in HIV pathogenesis and natural history in tissues and anatomic compartments, HIV latency and transcriptional activity, and host immunity including the role of sex hormones. We then outline the potential effects of these differences on HIV persistence, and on the safety and efficacy of HIV eradication and curative interventions. Finally, we discuss the next steps necessary to elucidate these factors to achieve a cure for HIV, taking in account the complex ethical issues and the regulatory landscape in the hopes of stimulating further research and awareness in these areas. Conclusions: Targeted enrolment of women in clinical trials and careful sex-based analysis will be crucial to gain further insights into sex-based differences in HIV persistence and to design sex-specific approaches to HIV eradication, if required.