HIV Digest	HIV Digest Archive

To science-fiction aficionados, the phrase "nanotechnology" may conjure images of hordes of microscopic robots destroying humankind from the inside out. But within the field of HIV treatment research, the term inspires far more realistic imagery.

Take, for example, a solution that combines antiretrovirals with tiny crystals so that when the solution is injected into a patient's bloodstream, it slowly breaks down over a period of weeks or even months, obviating the need for daily HIV therapy. This and other nanotechnologies are already under investigation in laboratory studies and early clinical trials, raising hopes for the development of ever-more-patient-friendly HIV treatment options.

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n experiments, researchers have combined the drug rilpivarine (TMC-278) with nano-crystals, creating a "nano-solution" which suspends the drug in the blood and particularly in lymph nodes. The HIV drug is released very slowly as the solution breaks down over many months, all the while maintaining adequate levels. So far, the drug in this solution has only been given to 48 HIV-negative volunteers, so its antiviral properties against HIV have yet to be measured. Studies are currently planned.

It is easy to imagine the potential benefits of such an approach. Instead of a daily diet of pills that are processed through the digestive system, a patient would simply get an injection, similar to a flu shot, once every few months, or as seldom as twice a year.

from TheBodyPro.com