AEGiS-CATIE: Indinavir gets into the brain

Indinavir gets into the brain

TreatmentUpdate84 - Vol. 9, No. 10 - pp. 1-2; December, 1997
Sean Hosein

Although drugs can be absorbed and reach the blood, they may not necessarily enter certain parts of the body such as the brain, eyes and testicles. Some researchers fear that those parts of the body could harbour HIV and act as a breeding ground even though virus levels have fallen in other areas due to drug therapy. Now it appears that the protease inhibitor indinavir (Crixivan) does get into the CSF--cerebrospinal fluid, in which the brain and spinal cord float.

Study details

In a small study, triple therapy with indinavir was able to drive the amount of HIV in the CSF below 200 copies in 15 of 18 volunteers. As well, technicians were able to detect indinavir at levels that would have anti-HIV activity. Another protease inhibitor, ritonavir, has also been reported to reduce viral load in the CSF, although the company has not released information on levels of ritonavir in the CSF.

Indinavir: 2 year results

Indinavir is the most commonly used protease inhibitor in North America. Results from a two year study of combination therapy (indinavir, AZT and 3TC) showed that 50% of subjects had a decrease in their viral load to 1/130th of their pre-study level and an average increase of 230 CD4+ cells.

REFERENCES:

1. Anonymous. Merck's indinavir targets brain HIV. SCRIP 1997;2278:20.

2. Anonymous. Double protease inhibitors -- new gold standard in HIV. SCRIP 1997;2274;18-19.

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