新型Hiv药物试验似乎很有前景
ATHENS, Oct 30 (Reuters Health) - Preliminary study results on a new HIV drug suggest that it can lower viral levels in patients with advanced infections who have already been "heavily" treated with existing drugs.
After 48 weeks, the antiretroviral drug known as T-20 had lowered blood levels of HIV in more than half of these patients, researchers reported Tuesday at the 8th European Conference on Clinical Aspects and Treatment of HIV Infection.
T-20, developed jointly by Switzerland's Roche and the US biotech firm Trimeris, is a member of a newer class of antiretroviral agents known as HIV fusion inhibitors. Dr. Frank Duff, director at Roche Clinical Science, presented an update of clinical trials evaluating T-20 and T-1249, a newer fusion inhibitor.
"The phase II trial data of T-20 at 48 weeks confirms the safety, tolerability and patient acceptability of the (T-20 skin injections) that earlier results suggested," Duff told Reuters Health.
The majority of the study patients had already been on three types of antiretroviral drugs used to fight HIV. All had advanced disease, with high levels of HIV in their blood and low levels of immune-system T cells.
But more than one half of the 41 patients who finished 48 weeks on T-20 saw substantial drops in their blood levels of HIV, or viral load.
Duff also presented results from a phase II pediatric study of T-20 that indicate it is well tolerated and causes rapid viral suppression in children.
While more data have been generated on T-20, Duff said the early results for the newer fusion inhibitor T-1249 also appear promising.
Lab experiments have shown that T-1249 is effective against HIV samples that are resistant to T-20, he noted. Duff said a "key area" for future research will be to find out whether T-1249 helps HIV patients whose infections are resistant to T-20.
T-20 is currently in final, phase III trials, and Roche and Trimeris are hoping to win rapid regulatory approval to allow for its launch in 2003., 百拇医药
After 48 weeks, the antiretroviral drug known as T-20 had lowered blood levels of HIV in more than half of these patients, researchers reported Tuesday at the 8th European Conference on Clinical Aspects and Treatment of HIV Infection.
T-20, developed jointly by Switzerland's Roche and the US biotech firm Trimeris, is a member of a newer class of antiretroviral agents known as HIV fusion inhibitors. Dr. Frank Duff, director at Roche Clinical Science, presented an update of clinical trials evaluating T-20 and T-1249, a newer fusion inhibitor.
"The phase II trial data of T-20 at 48 weeks confirms the safety, tolerability and patient acceptability of the (T-20 skin injections) that earlier results suggested," Duff told Reuters Health.
The majority of the study patients had already been on three types of antiretroviral drugs used to fight HIV. All had advanced disease, with high levels of HIV in their blood and low levels of immune-system T cells.
But more than one half of the 41 patients who finished 48 weeks on T-20 saw substantial drops in their blood levels of HIV, or viral load.
Duff also presented results from a phase II pediatric study of T-20 that indicate it is well tolerated and causes rapid viral suppression in children.
While more data have been generated on T-20, Duff said the early results for the newer fusion inhibitor T-1249 also appear promising.
Lab experiments have shown that T-1249 is effective against HIV samples that are resistant to T-20, he noted. Duff said a "key area" for future research will be to find out whether T-1249 helps HIV patients whose infections are resistant to T-20.
T-20 is currently in final, phase III trials, and Roche and Trimeris are hoping to win rapid regulatory approval to allow for its launch in 2003., 百拇医药