DESCRIPTION: Last October, Schering-Plough abruptly discontinued a clinical trial of vicriviroc,
its experimental CCR5-blocking entry inhibitor. The study involved HIV
positive people who had not taken other HIV drugs in the past. The
study compared patients taking different doses of vicriviroc plus Combivir (AZT+3TC) to patients taking Sustiva
(efavirenz) plus Combivir. The reason for halting the study was
discussed at the 13th Conference on Retrovirusesand Opportunistic
Infections in Denver.
FINDINGS:
While viral loads dropped significantly in all of the study
participants, those taking vicriviroc were much more likely to see
their viral loads rebound during the study. After an average of 31
weeks, 4% of people taking Sustiva/Combivir saw their viral loads
rebound, compared with 17% of people taking the highest dose of
vicriviroc plus Combivir (rates of virologic failure were even higher
among participants taking lower doses of vicriviroc plus Combivir).
Clinical trials of vicriviroc in treatment-experienced HIV positive
people are still being conducted.
MORE INFO:
http://www.retroconference.org
