class of experimental drugs called capsid inhibitors. The capsid is a specialized protein that protects the genetic material of the virus. These experimental drugs disrupt the capsid and interfere with the ability of virus to infect a blood cell (lymphocyte) and also to make new viruses.
Research presented at the conference shows that this compound GS-6207 is extremely potent against a wide variety of viral strains found throughout the world. It also can suppress viruses that are resistant to other HIV drugs, a very important property. And because it works differently, it is even more effective when combined with other approved HIV drugs. This is all very promising.
Another study actually administered the drug to people who were not HIV infected in order to study how the drug behaves in the body and how to best dose it (Phase 1 study). The drug is administered subcutaneously, which is injected under the skin similar to the way insulin is given in diabetes. But unlike insulin, the study shows that GS-6207 may only have to be taken every 3 months! The drug was also shown to be safe and the people in the study had no complaints. There’s only more piece to the puzzle:
Does it work in HIV patients?
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Those studies are just now beginning and we hope to have some answers soon. Keep your fingers crossed.
Another investigational drug developed by Glaxo Smith Kline also belongs to a totally new class of experimental HIV drugs called maturation inhibitors. Essentially, when a virus infects a cell and
