Top Stories

HIV Treatment Greatly Improves Brain Illness Survival
Combination antiretroviral (ARV) treatment has significantly increased survival in people diagnosed with AIDS-related illnesses of the brain, according to data presented at the 11th European AIDS Conference in Madrid.

October 30, 2007

Is Once-Daily Kaletra an Effective Dosing Option?
An international study comparing Norvir (ritonavir)-boosted Prezista (darunavir) to Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) in people starting treatment for the first time has reported a surprising secondary finding—better virologic control among patients with high pre-therapy viral loads using twice daily, as opposed to once daily, Kaletra.

Pre-treatment CD4 Count Predicts CD4 Gains on Treatment
The higher a person’s CD4 count upon starting HIV treatment, the higher their CD4 count will be 60 months later, say British researchers at the 11th European AIDS Conference in Madrid.

October 29, 2007

Kaletra Tablets for Children Show Equivalency
An experimental lower-strength tablet version of Kaletra (lopinavir plus ritonavir) is expected to work well in HIV-positive children

Small Steps Forward in HIV Prevention
Slow but steady progress is being made on several HIV prevention fronts, say researchers in a special symposium on HIV prevention at the 11th European AIDS Conference.

October 27, 2007

Alive and Well: Ten Years of HAART in Advanced HIV Cohort
A decade after beginning triple-drug therapy with very low CD4 counts, a majority of patients in the Belgian PICASSO cohort study remain alive and well.

Crestor Bests Pravachol for Elevated Lipids
Crestor is superior to Pravachol in HIV-positive people on antiretroviral therapy who experience LDL cholesterol and triglyceride elevations, according to new data presented at the 11th EACS in Madrid.

New Menu of Antiviral Options

Dr. José Gatell talks with David Evans about the latest treatment news on Selzentry, rilpivirine (TMC278) and the continued interest in Kaletra monotherapy.

Children and Challenges: Treating Pediatric HIV

Over 2 million children are living with HIV/AIDS throughout the world. Dr. José Ramos talks with Peter Staley about the unique challenges facing HIV-positive children and their health care providers.

October 26, 2007

Safer Family Planning for Positive Couples

Want to have a baby? Dr. Valerie Stone checks in with David Evans about family planning for couples living with HIV.

Why Do Those With HIV Have More Heart Attacks?

HIV and its medications may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, but Dr. Jens Lundgren tells Peter Staley that there's a lot to be said for preventive strategies.

Rilpivirine Comparable to Sustiva in Treatment First-Timers
The experimental non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) rilpivirine is comparable to Sustiva in terms of reducing HIV levels and increasing CD4 counts over 48 weeks in people taking antiretroviral treatment for the first time.

More Rash With Once-Daily Viramune
People who used Viramune once daily are more likely to stop treatment due to skin rashes than people who used it twice-a-day.

Similar Efficacy, Better Triglycerides with Invirase vs. Kaletra
Final 48-week results from a clinical trial comparing Norvir -boosted Invirase to Kaletra conclude that, among HIV-positive patients starting treatment for the first time, both protease inhibitors are comparable.

Tesamorelin (TH9507) Safe and Effective for 52 Weeks
HIV-positive patients with lipodystrophy can be treated safely and effectively with tesamorelin (TH9507) for at least 52 weeks, according to new data presented this week at the 11th European AIDS Conference in Madrid.

October 25, 2007

Strategies for Success With Kaletra Monotherapy
Two reports regarding the experimental use of Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir), without other medications, show that it can successfully keep HIV under control, and offer predictions regarding who will most likely benefit from the use of Kaletra monotherapy.

More Promising Data on Selzentry for Drug-Resistant HIV
People taking Selzentry (maraviroc) had greater viral load reductions and CD4 count increases compared to those taking a placebo after 48 weeks in the MOTIVATE 2 study.

Aiming Low: 'Undetectable' Not Just for Treatment Newbies

Dr. Jonathan Schapiro tells Peter Staley that an undetectable viral load is almost always an obtainable goal, even for highly treatment-experienced patients with drug-resistant HIV.

October 24, 2007

Poor Adherence May Explain Worse Sustiva Responses Among Blacks
Poorer adherence may explain why black patients are less likely to achieve or maintain undetectable viral loads using a Sustiva (efavirenz)-based treatment regimen, compared with white or Hispanic patients.

October 23, 2007

Low Body Weight, Not HIV, Linked to Frail Bones
Low body weight is responsible for osteopenia and osteoporosis in HIV-positive people, according to a newly reported study in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.

Kaletra Reduces HIV in the Brain
Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir) significantly reduces HIV levels in the brain, say researchers of a new study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases.

October 19, 2007

Committee Recommends Approval of Atripla in Europe
A European committee has recommended that Atripla be approved for use in the European Union, according to a report by AIDSmap.

ESRD Nearly Six Times Higher in African Americans With HIV
The risk of developing end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is significantly higher in African Americans with HIV than in whites who are HIV positive, according to a press release summarizing a study published in the November Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

October 18, 2007

HIV Increases Risk of Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia
HIV-positive people using heparin for blood clots are more likely than HIV-negative people using the drug to experience a potentially dangerous drop in their platelet counts, according to a report in the November 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

October 17, 2007

Today's Patients Seek HIV Care Later Than Those in 1990
People are testing for HIV and showing up for HIV care later in the disease process now than they were in 1990, according to a new study reported by AIDSmap.com.

October 16, 2007

Rapid Liver Damage Possible in HIV/HCV Patients
Nearly one quarter of people who are coinfected with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) may experience rapid liver damage, say researchers of a study published in the October 2007 issue of AIDS.

Researchers Recommend Screening for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
People with HIV who have unexplained shortness of breath should be screened for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

October 12, 2007

New Study Finds Alcohol Use and Depression Influence Adherence
Depression and alcohol consumption are two factors that can significantly impair people’s HIV medication adherence, according to a newly reported study in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Isentress Gets FDA Approval
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted approval to Merck’s Isentress, the first of a new class of HIV drugs known as integrase inhibitors.

Norvir Dose Lowered for Use With Lexiva
People currently taking the protease inhibitor Lexiva in conjunction with Norvir may now lower their Norvir dose from 200 mg per day to 100 mg.

October 10, 2007

Stress May Contribute to HIV Disease Progression
People with HIV who have high levels of stress may progress to AIDS more rapidly, according to a press release summarizing study results reported in the most recent issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

People on a Failing HIV Regimen May Still See Benefit
HIV-positive people with few or no remaining antiretroviral options may still benefit from staying on a drug regimen that is no longer controlling the virus, according to new data published in the October 15 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.

Women Aren’t Talking Treatment With Their Docs
According to data obtained from the Women Living Positive Survey, 55 percent of women living with HIV have not discussed with their health care provider the ways that living with the virus affects them differently than men, including their treatment options and personal needs, especially around pregnancy.

October 09, 2007

HIV Treatments Protective Against Brain Damage
A study published in the October 9 issue of the journal Neurology has found that highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) may protect the brain from damage by HIV.

October 08, 2007

Better Quality of Life for People With HIV Who Quit Smoking
A small study published in the September 2007 issue of AIDS Patient Care and STDs reports that people’s HIV-related symptoms and quality of life can improve when they quit smoking.

October 04, 2007

Needle-Free Fuzeon Abandoned for Now
Roche and Trimeris, Inc. have announced that they will no longer pursue government approval to market a needle-free injection device for use with their entry inhibitor, Fuzeon (enfuvirtide).

October 03, 2007

Key Protein Blunts Immune System’s Power to Fight HIV
Researchers at the Partners AIDS Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital announce that they have uncovered a mechanism that suppresses the immune system’s ability to control HIV, possibly resulting in a new target for HIV treatment.

October 02, 2007

Tesamorelin Promising for Lipodystrophy Over 52 Weeks
Theratechnologies has issued a press release to announce favorable safety and efficacy data for its experimental drug, Tesamorelin (TH9507), for HIV-related lipodystrophy.

Scientists Discover a Way to Reach Hidden HIV
Researchers at Philadelphia’s Jefferson Medical College have found that blocking small pieces of genetic material called microRNA (miRNA) could help antiretroviral drugs reach HIV that hides out in CD4 cells.

October 01, 2007

Acetyl-L-Carnitine Promising for Neuropathy
In a recent article in the journal CNS Drugs, Michael Youle, MD, a noted HIV specialist at London’s Royal Free Hospital, claims that acetyl-L-carnitine (LAC), an over-the-counter amino acid supplement, is a promising treatment for a condition known as peripheral neuropathy.