hes@ecsvax.UUCP (Henry Schaffer) (12/25/85)
<>The Dec. 20 issue of SCIENCE (published by the AAAS) has the sixth
(and last) article (p 1355) in a series on AIDS research, titled:
AIDS Therapy: New Push for Clinical Trials.
The political and public pressures to produce a cure are discussed,
and the critera for a "cure" are covered. I put quotes around "cure"
because there are several different aspects - preventing further spread
of the virus within the body; removing the viral DNA from cells which are
already infected (some think this is not possible); and repairing the
damage already done to cells, tissues, and immune system.
"At least four compounds are in limited clinical trials in the United
States, but so far the results have been at best mixed. In general, even
though they appear to suppress the virus by interupting its life cycle, they
do not seem to offer much clinical improvement when given in the late
stages of AIDS."
The four compounds being tested in human trials:
Suramin - appears to interfere with reverse transcriptase. Is quite
toxic, the virus may appear after treatment is ended. This is the most
widely tested compound.
azidothymidine - from Burroughs Wellcome. Seems to block the virus
by inhibiting reverse transcriptase and result in some regeneration
of T4 cells.
ribavirin - suppresses viral replication.
HPA-23 - the compound used to treat Rock Hudson in Paris.
Other compounds not yet in human tests:
Foscarnet - an antiherpes drug developed in Sweden
AL 721 - which may disrupt the envelope protein of the virus
ansamycin - an antibacterial being used to treat some of the
opportunistic infections of AIDS patients.
Cyclosporine is also being looked at- this is what a major French
press conference was on this fall - reporting one week of therapy of
six patients.
See the article for a readable general discussion.
A quote from a "box" in this article, "In April 1984, Health and
Human Services Secretary Margaret Heclker predicted that a vaccine
would be ready for testing within 2 years. However, it is not even
certain that any of the strategies now being pursued will work, and
the official target date for getting a vaccine ready for general use
has been put back to 2000."
--henry schaffer