HIV Digest	HIV Digest Archive

In Denver at the 13th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections, researchers are reporting promising results from early studies of two new AIDS drugs.

Merck & Co. and Gilead Sciences Inc. are each hoping to be the first to market a new class of AIDS drugs: integrase inhibitors, which take aim at an HIV enzyme that lets it merge with human DNA.

Both experimental drugs seem to be effective even in patients with drug-resistant virus. About three-quarters of patients being treated with HIV drugs harbor some drug-resistant virus.

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Merck's study compared its drug MK-0518, administered with a drug cocktail, to a placebo, also administered with a drug cocktail, in a population of subjects with multi-drug-resistant HIV and a history of treatment failure. In the 16-week trial of 80 patients, the majority of those whose treatment included the new Merck drug saw their viral load drop to nearly undetectable levels, compared to only 19 percent of the placebo group. Robin Isaacs, who is directing the research for Merck, said no "safety signals of concern" were evident thus far.

Gilead reported on an early safety and efficacy study of its compound GS-9137. Thirty HIV-positive patients taking the drug for 10 days experienced up to a 99 percent decrease in viral load. Ten patients on a placebo had smaller reductions.

Later this year, both drugs will enter larger efficacy studies. Pending completion of trials, Merck plans to apply for Food and Drug Administration approval of MK-0518 in 2007.

Editor's Note: from the Wall Street Journal