Active clinical trials for "HIV Infections"

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.

To determine whether methadone maintenance alters the pharmacokinetics of zidovudine (AZT). To determine whether any such effect of methadone on disposition of AZT is time dependent and whether a metabolic interaction between AZT and methadone exists. Injection drug users represent an increasing proportion of HIV-infected persons. Since daily methadone maintenance is the major chemical treatment for injection drug abuse, it is important to determine the impact of methadone on AZT absorption, distribution, and elimination.

PRIMARY: To study the safety and tolerance of delavirdine mesylate ( U-90152 ) monotherapy. To compare the anti-HIV activity of three blood concentration levels of this agent with nucleoside analog monotherapy, either zidovudine ( AZT ) or didanosine ( ddI ), based on the reduction of HIV viral burden. SECONDARY: To use pharmacokinetic parameters to assess the relationship between daily drug exposure and antiviral activity and toxicity of the U-90152, AZT, and ddI monotherapy. To assess anti-HIV activity using other disease markers. Data suggest that bisheteroarylpiperazines (BHAPs) such as delavirdine mesylate are potent and safe anti-HIV agents and may have different biological behavior than other currently available non-nucleoside RT inhibitors.

PRIMARY: To determine the effect of 8 weeks of zidovudine (AZT) treatment on the HIV-1 burden in peripheral blood and lymphoid tissue in HIV-1-infected, AZT-naive patients with CD4+ T lymphocyte counts between 100 and 500 cells/mm3. SECONDARY: To determine the extent to which apoptosis (programmed cell death) occurs in these patients. In previous trials of AZT treatment in HIV-infected patients, an antiviral effect has been clearly demonstrated by quantitative measurement of virus in plasma and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. However, the lymphoid tissues appear to be a major reservoir for HIV-1 and a major site of virus replication in HIV-infected persons. Further data is needed to assess the effect of treatment on viral burden and HIV-1 replication in lymphoid tissue.

To evaluate the safety, tolerance, pharmacokinetics, and antiviral activity of human anti-HIV immune serum globulin ( HIVIG ) at three dosage levels in HIV-infected children. Passive antibody therapy has been used with limited success in treating advanced HIV disease in adults. HIVIG is manufactured from HIV antibody-rich plasma taken from asymptomatic donors. It is hypothesized that HIVIG will decrease the viral burden of moderately advanced HIV-positive children.

PRIMARY: To evaluate the efficacy of valacyclovir hydrochloride (BW 256U87) in the prevention of cytomegalovirus (CMV) end-organ disease in HIV/CMV co-infected patients with CD4+ lymphocytes < 100 cells/mm3. To assess the impact of BW 256U87, high-dose oral acyclovir and low-dose oral acyclovir on survival. SECONDARY: To evaluate the effect of BW 256U87 on quality of life, the safety of the drug administered concurrently with standard antiretroviral agents and other essential therapies for the treatment and prevention of opportunistic diseases, and the efficacy of BW 256U87 in suppressing activation of other herpesviruses. To evaluate serologic and virologic risk factors for the development of CMV disease, including assessment of HIV activation, and the risk of developing drug-resistant CMV, HSV, and VZV. Gastrointestinal absorption of acyclovir is not high enough to prevent CMV disease in patients with advanced HIV disease, although there is evidence that high doses of the drug may extend survival. Valacyclovir, a prodrug that is rapidly converted to acyclovir after oral administration, has a higher absorption rate and may therefore provide inhibitory activity against CMV.