Rob.Bates@ncar.UCAR.EDU (Rob Bates) (08/05/89)
LZ> I was watching the news this evening, and there was an article on a new
LZ> drug called DDI, manufactured by Bristol Myers
There are three DD* druges currently on trial ... ddC (dideoxycytidine), ddA
(dideoxyadenosine) and ddI (dideoxyinosine.
Information I have suggests that while nucleoside analogues are not currently
as glamorous as tricosanthin or soluable CD4, researchers believe they offer
the best hope of an early advance beyond zidovudine (AZT) in treatment
availability.
The most advanced and promising appears to be ddC, which was abandoned at one
stage as being too toxic. It is now apparent that ddC suppresses the p24
antigen (the key indicator of HIV activity) at very low doses without side
effects.
A phase 3 trial (placebo controlled) of 600 people is supposed to begin this
month: they will receive 0.01 mg of ddC per kg of body weight every eight hours
for six months. Another group will receive a combination of ddC and
zidovudine.
A phase two trial (efficacy) is also apparently planned.
With luck, ddC could be approved for release during 1990.
I'm indebted to a report on the Montreal AIDS Conference by Adam Carr in the
July edition of OUTRAGE (Australia's best gay monthly magazine!) for this
information.
Rob
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