Doctors: Patents keep HIV drugs too pricey to use
The medical aid group said at an international AIDS meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia that prices of older drugs long used to treat patients have fallen sharply as India and other countries make generics. But newer drugs that are more effective against the AIDS virus are too expensive, costing up to 15 times more.
Source
Zinc deficiency may contribute to increased inflammation among HIV-positive individuals
Researchers report that zinc deficiency may contribute to chronic inflammation among HIV-positive individuals. Theirs is believed to be the first investigation to explore the association between serum zinc levels and inflammation among people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, while taking their anti-retroviral therapy into account. Ref. Source 1j.
Neutrons probe structure of enzyme critical to development of next-generation HIV drugs
Medical researchers used neutron analysis to better understand a protein implicated in the replication of HIV, the retrovirus that causes AIDS. The enzyme, known as HIV-1 protease, is a key drug target for HIV and AIDS therapies. The multi-institutional team used neutron crystallography to uncover detailed interactions of hydrogen bonds at the enzyme’s active site, revealing a pH-induced proton ‘hopping’ mechanism that guides its activity. Ref. Source 7s.
HIV 'safe houses' identified inside the body
Researchers have identified cells that provide 'safe houses' for the human immunodeficiency virus during antiretroviral therapy. HIV needs to be "Housed" in a cell, a safe haven, so to speak, to live and replicate, explain authors of a new report. Ref. Source 9b.
HIV: A therapeutic advance for resource-limited settings. A clinical trial running in parallel in three countries in sub-Saharan Africa, shows that dual therapy with lamivudine and a boosted protease inhibitor is effective as second-line treatment in patients infected by HIV with multiple mutations. Such treatment deescalation will reduce costs, side effects, and the need for virological monitoring of patients. Source 8m.