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June 2009
RIP:IL-2
by Laura Whitehorn
We’ve been talking about Proleukin (interleukin-2, or IL-2, used to treat melanoma and kidney cancers) for more than 15 years. We had hoped that, by raising people’s CD4 cell counts, the experimental immune-based therapy could supplement antiretroviral meds for HIV. But now IL-2 has been shot down: In studies, positive people did no better with Proleukin plus an HIV combo than with HIV meds alone. Adding Proleukin didn’t protect them from death or opportunistic infections—although it did raise their CD4 counts. The CD4 cells Proleukin produces might be ineffectual, or the drug may cause immune damage that undercuts the increase in cells. Either way, it’s out of the running as a treatment for HIV.
Search: Proleukin_, melanoma , kidney cancer, CD4 cell count, immune-based therapy
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RZ, Washington, DC, 2009-06-09 11:11:46
I took IL2 93 to 96, until the protease inhibitors came out. I have always thought that it saved my life during that period between the old regimens and the new ones, when several friends died. I did get severe depression right after the first treatment,but after that was medicated, I handled it very well. I had thought they were investigating it's possible use to boost the immune systems of elderly people after they gave up on it for HIV. Somne had very bad reactions to it.I was lucky
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