Various researchers are still hoping that they will soon find the right formula to cure human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
The pressure is on when it comes to finding the right cure because a recent study has shown that there are strains of the virus that are becoming resistant to the drug most commonly used for the condition — tenofovir-based antiretroviral drugs.
Tenofovir is starting to lose its effectiveness because HIV patients don't really stick to a strict regimen of anti-retroviral therapy (ART). When a regimen is not completed as directed, drug resistance likely results. The study by the University College London not only found that the drug has become less effective in some African nations, but also — and alarmingly — the resistant virus can be passed on to partners. Further studies are now conducted to find out how the virus develops resistance to the drug.
In another HIV/AIDS cure update, tenofovir-based drugs like Truvada are found to be perfectly safe to take with only minimal side effects. A recent study also showed that it's as safe as taking daily aspirin. Despite this good news, not a lot of HIV patients have access to drugs for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) like Truvada.
Currently, Truvada is the latest weapon against HIV/AIDS, but another one has yet to come, which is ViiV Healthcare/Janssen's two injectable formulations, cabotegravir and rilpivirine.
The combination treatment intended to cure HIV-1 infections will begin its Phase III clinical trials in the middle of this year. The trials will look into the formulation's safety and efficacy profile when used in patients with HIV-1.
If the future trials will yield successful results, the treatment will become available as an alternative to the standard regimen of oral drugs, which usually consist of three different drugs to be taken every day.
Today, there are almost 37 million people infected with HIV.
