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In the January 19th issue of The New England Journal of Medicine , researchers announced a newer drug regimen for HIV patients which is more effective than the existing therapy.
The "gold standard" otherwise known as the "triple combination therapy" was Sustiva plus AZT and 3TC (zidovudine and lamivudine). The new drug regimen
is a combination of Viread (tenofovir DF), Emtriva (emtricitabine), and Sustiva (efavirenz) which are available in two pills but will soon be available as one pill. The smaller number of pills is definitely a plus.
In this study,otherwise known as the SMART trial (for Strategies for Management of Anti-Retroviral Therapy), researchers found that 80 percent of those on the new combination had suppressed the amount of HIV in their blood to virtually undetectable levels while in the older regimen, the number was 70 percent of patients. Those patients on the new drug combination were also less likely to stop taking the medications because of side effects - 4 percent, compared to 9 percent who took the older regimen.
Any comments on this or other new therapeutic interventions in managing HIV/AIDS?
Reference:
Gallant JE et al. Tenofovir DF, Emtricitabine, and Efavirenz vs. Zidovudine, Lamivudine, and Efavirenz for HIV. N Engl J Med 2006;354:251-60.
The "gold standard" otherwise known as the "triple combination therapy" was Sustiva plus AZT and 3TC (zidovudine and lamivudine). The new drug regimen
is a combination of Viread (tenofovir DF), Emtriva (emtricitabine), and Sustiva (efavirenz) which are available in two pills but will soon be available as one pill. The smaller number of pills is definitely a plus.
In this study,otherwise known as the SMART trial (for Strategies for Management of Anti-Retroviral Therapy), researchers found that 80 percent of those on the new combination had suppressed the amount of HIV in their blood to virtually undetectable levels while in the older regimen, the number was 70 percent of patients. Those patients on the new drug combination were also less likely to stop taking the medications because of side effects - 4 percent, compared to 9 percent who took the older regimen.
Any comments on this or other new therapeutic interventions in managing HIV/AIDS?
Reference:
Gallant JE et al. Tenofovir DF, Emtricitabine, and Efavirenz vs. Zidovudine, Lamivudine, and Efavirenz for HIV. N Engl J Med 2006;354:251-60.
