Fact Sheets
Selected Medicines and Vaccines in Development for HIV/AIDS*
Engineering Resistant Cells – An antisense gene therapy medicine in development that targets gene expression and uses two novel technologies to boost immune responsiveness against HIV. One technology involves inserting genetic material into blood cells to slow down the growth of the virus. The second involves inserting new genes into target cells, then integrating the gene into the chromosome of the cell. The cells containing the new genes are then transferred to the patient.
Blocking a Key Receptor – Studies show that some people are immune to HIV, despite repeated exposure to the virus. Some of these people have a variant of the CCR5 protein that sits on the surface of their cells. To infect a cell, HIV must first bind to the CCR5 receptor. Since it can’t bind to the variant protein, HIV can’t enter the target cells. A medicine in development uses this knowledge to block HIV. It binds to the CCR5 receptor so the virus can’t enter the cell.
Preventive Vaccines – A gene-based vaccine in development has shown to generate a broad spectrum of immune responses in patients and is designed to protect against the three most common types of HIV-1 virus found in the world.
Preventing HIV Transmission – The World Health Organization states that unprotected sex is the predominant mode of HIV transmission. A new topical microbicide would allow women to protect themselves without the use of condoms. The medicine, one in a class of drugs being studied to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV – has exhibited potential potent antiviral activity following human administration.
Meeting the Need for Pain Relief – Painful HIV-associated neuropathy is a frequent neurological complication of HIV/AIDS. It usually occurs in the feet and hands and can be a side effect of the disease and certain HIV medications. A topical medicine in development that is a synthetic form of the naturally-occurring ingredient that makes chili peppers hot, has shown to significantly reduce the pain over several weeks. Currently there are no approved medications for painful HIV-associated neuropathy in the United States.
Read the Report
*From Medicines in Development for HIV/AIDS, 2007, PhRMA
Engineering Resistant Cells – An antisense gene therapy medicine in development that targets gene expression and uses two novel technologies to boost immune responsiveness against HIV. One technology involves inserting genetic material into blood cells to slow down the growth of the virus. The second involves inserting new genes into target cells, then integrating the gene into the chromosome of the cell. The cells containing the new genes are then transferred to the patient.
Blocking a Key Receptor – Studies show that some people are immune to HIV, despite repeated exposure to the virus. Some of these people have a variant of the CCR5 protein that sits on the surface of their cells. To infect a cell, HIV must first bind to the CCR5 receptor. Since it can’t bind to the variant protein, HIV can’t enter the target cells. A medicine in development uses this knowledge to block HIV. It binds to the CCR5 receptor so the virus can’t enter the cell.
Preventive Vaccines – A gene-based vaccine in development has shown to generate a broad spectrum of immune responses in patients and is designed to protect against the three most common types of HIV-1 virus found in the world.
Preventing HIV Transmission – The World Health Organization states that unprotected sex is the predominant mode of HIV transmission. A new topical microbicide would allow women to protect themselves without the use of condoms. The medicine, one in a class of drugs being studied to prevent sexually transmitted diseases, including HIV – has exhibited potential potent antiviral activity following human administration.
Meeting the Need for Pain Relief – Painful HIV-associated neuropathy is a frequent neurological complication of HIV/AIDS. It usually occurs in the feet and hands and can be a side effect of the disease and certain HIV medications. A topical medicine in development that is a synthetic form of the naturally-occurring ingredient that makes chili peppers hot, has shown to significantly reduce the pain over several weeks. Currently there are no approved medications for painful HIV-associated neuropathy in the United States.
Read the Report
*From Medicines in Development for HIV/AIDS, 2007, PhRMA