Active clinical trials for "HIV Infections"

With the increasing age of people living with HIV/AIDS, age-induced osteoporosis is likely to be compounded by HIV/AIDS and HAART-associated bone loss. Mechanistically, osteoclasts the cells responsible for bone resorption form under the influence of the key osteoclastogenic cytokine receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL). The osteoclastogenic and proresorptive activities of RANKL are moderated by its physiological decoy receptor osteoprotegerin (OPG). Imbalance in the ratio of RANKL to OPG alters osteoclastic bone resorption and lead to osteoporosis. Activated T- and B-cells are a major source of RANKL, while normal physiological B-cells are a major source of OPG. T-cells regulate the production of OPG by B-cells. Thus changes in the immune system induced by HIV/AIDS and/or by HAART could affect B-cell and T-cells RANKL and OPG production. Indeed, data from our group shows that in an animal model of HIV/AIDS, the HIV-1 Transgenic rat, the development of osteoporosis is recapitulated as observed in HIV-infected patients, and B-cell OPG and RANKL production are concurrently down regulated and upregulated respectively. Furthermore, preliminary data in HIV-infected subjects suggests dramatic acute upswing in bone resorption following HAART initiation that peaks at 12 weeks and then declines. Based on these findings, the investigators hypothesize HAART associated bone loss is driven by immune reconstitution. Because this effect of HAART is dramatic in magnitude but short in duration, the investigators propose to apply antiresorptive agent (zoledronic acid, reclast®) to specifically spare patients from this dramatic but acute bone damage.

This study is a Phase II single arm, open-label, multicenter, study of 50 human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV) infected adult patients, all of whom will receive etravirine (ETR) 400mg and DRV/r 800/100mg each given orally once daily. This trial is designed to evaluate the efficacy of the aforementioned ARV regimen, as measured by the percentage of patients with HIV RNA <50 copies/mL at 48 weeks, in early treatment-experienced HIV-infected patients. In addition to general safety parameter measurements, this trial will also assess changes in metabolic, inflammatory, immune restoration, and bone markers. Screening will occur over a 6-week period. The primary endpoint will be assessed at Week 48, and the treatment period is 48 weeks. The end of study endpoint will be met by either completing the Week 48 visit, or by early termination from the study for any reason.

There has been reports that low dose prednisolone stabilizes CD4-counts in HIV infected individuals. However, until now, there are no prospective randomized studies on the use of corticosteroids in latent HIV disease. Furthermore, low dose prednisolone (5 mg/d) is not sufficient tested for the risks and benefit for HIV patients especially for those living in poor settings with a higher risk of infections. This study will assess the benefit and the safety profile for low dose prednisolone therapy for patients in a region with limited resources and high prevalence of infections.

The study is being conducted to evaluate whether African potato, an herbal medicine, can be used together with anti-HIV medicines without affecting the amounts of the anti-HIV medicines in the blood. African potato is an African herbal medicine widely used in Africa, particularly sub-Saharan Africa. Although it has not been proven, it is believed to help boost the immune system. Similar studies have been done on herbal medicines especially those that are used in developing countries. In some cases, the herbal treatments can affect the blood levels of other medicines when the medicines are used together. This study will measure the effect of African potato on lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra®), a common anti-HIV medicine. Lopinavir/ritonavir is approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The information obtained from this study will tell us if African potato and anti-HIV treatments can be used together to treat HIV infected patients in Africa and other resource poor regions.

This is a five-part study that will take place in the Bronx, NY, and Washington, D.C. The different components of the study will focus on increasing the number of people being tested for HIV, evaluating ways to link HIV-infected people to HIV care sites, evaluating methods to reinforce antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and evaluating a counseling program that focuses on HIV prevention.

The study is being conducted as the most common side effect of the HIV drug atazanavir (taken with ritonavir) is hyperbilirubinaemia. Bilirubin is a normal waste product from the body and gets broken down in the liver so it can leave the body through the gut. Atazanavir slows the breakdown of this chemical, which can cause jaundice (yellowing of the skin) and/or scleral icterus (yellowing of the eyes). This is completely harmless; in fact up to 1 in 10 of the UK population have an inherited condition that causes the same yellowing. However, some patients don't like this side effect and it is the commonest reason for switching off the drug. A study in people with Gilberts syndrome (the inherited condition that causes the same changes in the chemical bilirubin) showed that a mineral supplement (zinc sulphate) reduced the levels of bilirubin in the blood. The aim of this study is to see if using zinc supplements can achieve the same effect in patients with high bilirubin due to atazanavir use.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate safety and efficacy of vitamin D supplementation in children, adolescents and young adults with Human Immunodeficiency Virus and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS). The study is a 12-month randomized, double blind, placebo-controlled study of vitamin D3 (vit D) supplementation using 7000IU/day based on evidence from the Vit D Dose Finding Study-IRB 09-007332.

HIV-specific cellular immunity is hampered in most HIV-infected individuals. Therapeutic immunization in HIV aims to strengthen the HIV-specific cellular immunity, usually in the absence of replicating HIV with antiretroviral drugs. The aims of this strategy can be to decrease the mass of latently infected CD4+ T cells, better tolerance of drug-free periods, and better select candidates for preventive HIV vaccines. Vacc-4x is one of the few peptide-based therapeutic vaccines tested, and consists of four, slightly modified HIV Gag p24 consensus peptides. Vacc-4x was first tested by intradermal injections using GM-CSF as adjuvant. A recent multinational placebo-controlled study found improvement of vaccine-specific T cell immunity and decrease in viral loads (presented at the AIDS vaccine 2011 conference, Bangkok). In this study the investigators hypothesize that the Vacc-4x peptides, deposited on the nasal mucosal surfaces in conjunction with Endocine, a newly developed and documented mucosal adjuvant, will induce T cell responses to HIV and improve HIV-specific immunity both systemically and at mucosal surfaces (oral, rectal, vaginal).

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the safety and tolerability of TMC435 along with pegylated interferon alpha-2a (PegIFNα-2a) and ribavirin (RBV) triple therapy in hepatitis C virus genotype-1 infected subjects, co-infected with human immunodeficiency virus-type 1, and to evaluate the number of patients with sustained virologic response (SVR) at 12 weeks after the planned end of treatment.

This study will evaluate the efficacy of Stribild® (elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (EVG/COBI/FTC/TDF)) single-tablet regimen (STR) after switching from a regimen consisting of raltegravir plus Truvada® (FTC/TDF) at baseline in maintaining HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/mL at Week 12 in virologically suppressed, HIV-1 infected adults. This study will also evaluate the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of Stribild over 24 and 48 weeks of treatment.