PRNewswire - November 26, 2001

Minnesota Comprehensive Care Center, MCCC, is pioneering the use of patient tailored HIV therapy. MCCC will use state-of-the-art research facilities to perform advanced testing of a patient's HIV virus to determine which medications are effective against it and what levels are needed to kill it. MCCC will then test a patient's blood to determine how their body metabolizes their anti-HIV medications. Based on that information MCCC will devise a treatment regimen that is unique to each individual patient.

The goal of this tailored approach is to deliver the most effective therapy, while minimizing possible side effects related to drug dosing. "Every person metabolizes drugs differently. By tailoring HIV therapy we can deliver more favorable outcomes with fewer side effects," said Dr. Ron Falcon, Director of Minnesota Comprehensive Care Center. "Quality of life is our priority and a tailored approach allows us to achieve that for our patients," Dr. Falcon said.

Patient tailored therapy has been proven effective in the treatment of cancer patients. "At Parker Hughes Cancer Center we have demonstrated that patient tailored therapy improves quality of life and is a superior treatment model. Minnesota Comprehensive Care Center will be translating that knowledge to the treatment of HIV positive patients," said Dr. Fatih Uckun, a world-renowned immunologist and President and Director of Parker Hughes Institute.

Dr. Keith Henry, Director of HIV clinical research at Hennepin County Medical Center, endorses the patient tailored therapy approach. "The treatment approach offered by Minnesota Comprehensive Care Center is unique and represents an advance in the treatment of HIV patients in the Twin Cities," Dr. Henry said. "What Minnesota Comprehensive Care is trying to do is provide HIV services that are not available at any single site anywhere in the United States at the present time," Dr. Henry added.

In addition to patient tailored therapy MCCC services include: HIV/AIDS screening, diagnosis and treatment; expert primary care for GLBT and HIV positive patients and their families; and expert diagnosis and treatment of Herpes and other sexually transmitted diseases. The center will also have full access to the novel, rationally designed, anti-HIV drugs developed at the Parker Hughes Institute.

Minnesota Comprehensive Care Center is located at 2665 Long Lake Road in Roseville, Minn.

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