What's New at The Body
Clinical Studies of Capravirine Discontinued
Studies of capravirine, an NNRTI which had advanced to phase 2 clinical trials, will be discontinued because the drug was not effective enough, according to a press release from Pfizer Inc., which was developing the drug. In the release, Pfizer noted that it would continue to develop maraviroc (UK-427,857), a type of entry inhibitor known as a CCR5 co-receptor inhibitor. Maraviroc is now in late-stage clinical trials, and is being studied as a treatment option for HIVers with multi-drug resistance.
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Jul 6, 2005, 22:00
What's New at The Body
Study Finds Interaction Between Statins and Efavirenz
Taking statins and efavirenz (Sustiva, Stocrin)? A recent study in the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes noted that efavirenz may decrease statin levels in the blood. The interaction didn't appear to affect the anti-HIV properties of efavirenz, but the findings of the small study -- which was conducted using HIV-negative volunteers -- suggest that doctors may want to increase the dose of the lipid-lowering statin if a person is taking efavirenz at the same time.
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Jul 6, 2005, 21:58
What's New at The Body
HIV Treatment Benefits Men and Women Similarly, Study Finds
The beneficial effects of antiretroviral therapy do not differ between the sexes, according to a large analysis of previously conducted studies. Amsterdam researchers, after reviewing available literature on the potential effects of gender on the course of HIV infection, found "little evidence" that rates of HIV disease progression were different for men and women in the pre-HAART vs. the HAART era. But this doesn't close the book on gender and HIV treatment, the researchers noted: As new HIV-related drugs are developed, it's important to examine how they might work differently in men and women, they said.
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Jul 6, 2005, 21:50
What's New at The Body
Safety and Toxicity of HIV Medications During Pregnancy
The safety profile of an HIV medication is important for anyone with HIV, but it's especially important for a pregnant woman, who has more than her own health to think about. Which HIV medications can be safely taken when you're pregnant, and which should be avoided? Talk to your HIV doctor for guidance, and use this fact sheet from the U.S. health department resource AIDSInfo as a reference.
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Jul 6, 2005, 21:46
What's New at The Body
Circumcision May Reduce Female-Male HIV Transmission Risk by 70%, Study Says
Male circumcision can reduce a man's risk of contracting HIV through sexual intercourse with women by about 70%, according to a recent study. A group of more than 3,000 HIV-negative, uncircumcised men living in a South African township were divided randomly into two groups: half received circumcisions, the other half did not. Although the researchers had planned to continue the study for 21 months, the study's oversight board said the findings so obviously supported circumcision that it stopped the trial nine months early, and provided circumcisions to all of the men in the study.
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Jul 6, 2005, 21:44
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