Active clinical trials for "HIV Infections"

To compare the effectiveness and toxicity of didanosine (ddI) and zidovudine (AZT) in patients with AIDS, advanced AIDS-related complex (ARC), or asymptomatic infection with CD4 counts < 200 cells/mm3. AZT is effective in reducing mortality in patients with AIDS who receive the drug after the first episode of Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) and in patients with advanced ARC. However, AZT therapy has been associated with significant toxicities. In addition, the effectiveness of AZT appears to decrease during the second and third years of therapy. For these reasons, the development of alternative therapy that would be at least as effective but less toxic is of great importance. The drug ddI is an antiviral agent that inhibits replication (reproduction) of HIV with less apparent toxicity than AZT.

To study the toxicity, pharmacokinetics, and antiretroviral effectiveness of combined oral zidovudine (AZT) and intermittent intravenous foscarnet therapy in stable AIDS or AIDS related complex (ARC) patients who have already received AZT for 8 - 52 weeks. It is hypothesized that the maximum AZT antiretroviral effect, which occurs at 8 weeks of therapy, will be enhanced by 2 weeks of foscarnet treatment, given at the same time by intermittent intravenous infusion. In addition, the further lowering of serum p24 antigen concentration that should occur during combined therapy might continue when oral AZT therapy is continued without foscarnet.

To study the tolerance and safety of increasing doses of AL-721 in patients with persistent generalized lymphadenopathy (PGL) and symptomatic HIV infection, and to obtain preliminary information on the effectiveness of AL-721 against the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in HIV-infected persons with PGL and symptomatic HIV infection. Although zidovudine (AZT) prolongs life in certain AIDS patients, it is not a cure for AIDS and it also has toxic effects in many patients. Therefore, it is necessary to test other drugs in HIV-infected patients. AL-721 is a mixture of lipids (fats) extracted from egg yolks. Laboratory tests suggest that it might inhibit the infectivity of the HIV. AL-721 has been tried so far in a few patients for short periods of time and has been found to be well tolerated.

To determine the maximum long-term dosage of ribavirin (RBV) that is safe and free of serious side effects in patients with AIDS or AIDS related illnesses. Also, to determine what effect different dosage levels have on biologic markers of efficacy, such as the amount of the AIDS virus (HIV) or number of T cells in the patient's blood. RBV is a new drug capable of inhibiting the growth of the AIDS virus in the laboratory with little effect on normal human cells. In earlier tests of RBV in AIDS patients, the drug was well tolerated and safe, and this favorable result suggested that RBV should be more extensively studied in patients with AIDS and advanced AIDS related complex (ARC).

To determine the safety, tolerance, and feasibility of adoptive immunotherapy with autologous cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) in HIV-infected patients with CD4 counts between 100 and 400; to evaluate the immunologic, virologic, and clinical changes for up to 24 weeks following infusion of study therapy. Freshly isolated peripheral blood lymphocytes from HIV-1-seropositive individuals frequently lyse autologous HIV-1-expressing cells or autologous cells infected with vaccinia vectors encoding HIV-1-specific proteins. Administration of these cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) may help prevent HIV disease progression.

PRIMARY: To determine the safety and toxicity of recombinant interferon gamma-1b ( rIFN-gamma ) in HIV-infected children receiving ongoing zidovudine ( AZT ) or didanosine ( ddI ) therapy. To document HIV-associated defects in neutrophil and/or monocyte function that are improved with rIFN-gamma. SECONDARY: To determine whether a change in CD4 cell count occurs and to assess virologic status and effects on AZT and ddI pharmacokinetics. It is likely that infants and children severely immunocompromised by HIV infection would respond to immunomodulators that augment different portions of the host defense system. Interferon-gamma has been shown to benefit children with severely compromised nonspecific immunity and may thus be of benefit to those with HIV infection.

To determine the safety and immunogenicity of gp160 (MicroGeneSys), rgp120/HIV-1MN (Genentech), and rgp120/HIV-1SF2 (BIOCINE) and their adjuvants in HIV-infected children 1 month to 18 years of age. The initiation of this immunotherapy trial will provide multiple benefits by assessing in asymptomatic HIV-infected children a therapy currently being tested in their adult counterparts, in the hope of forestalling the progression of HIV immunosuppression and clinical disease.

To evaluate the safety and efficacy of early treatment with zidovudine for preventing a decline in CD4+ lymphocyte counts in patients with primary HIV infection. To determine the natural history of virologic and immunologic changes in primary HIV infection. Previous studies indicate that intervention with zidovudine during primary HIV infection could reduce the initial viral burden and subsequent decline in immune functions, and could prolong not only the time to development of AIDS but also the time to initiation of chronic antiretroviral therapy.

PRIMARY: To compare the relative safety and tolerance of oral zidovudine (AZT) versus oral stavudine (d4T) in symptomatic HIV-infected children. SECONDARY: To compare the clinical, virologic, and immunologic responses between the two treatment groups, and to obtain pharmacokinetic data for both drugs. At present, AZT is considered the drug of choice for initial treatment of most children with HIV infection, although disease progression or drug intolerance is associated with its long-term use. In preliminary studies in children, d4T, another HIV inhibitor, has been well tolerated, although an optimum dose has not been determined.

To determine the safety and tolerance of daily oral hypericin when given to achieve target trough levels within defined cohorts. To determine the responses of surrogate markers of HIV infection to daily oral hypericin. It is not known whether daily oral dosing will produce a tolerable prolonged exposure to therapeutic levels of hypericin. Pharmacokinetic modeling studies have demonstrated that daily oral dosing should produce a trough level in a desired range without excessive peak levels.