Monkey study spells hope for HIV therapy

WASHINGTON – Offering a promising new way to attack the AIDS virus, research on monkeys suggests that an experimental drug helps keep HIV in check by blocking an enzyme that is crucial to infection.

The target is integrase, an HIV enzyme that the virus needs to hijack a patient’s cells and spread. Repeated attempts to inhibit integrase’s function and stall the virus have failed.But Merck & Co researchers reported yesterday in the journal Science that they have developed an integrase inhibitor that significantly protected monkeys when given early in infection, and provided some benefit to the very sick, too.Merck now is studying some integrase inhibitor candidates in a handful of people to see whether the pills seem safe and to check for any early signs of viral suppression.Results, due early next year, will determine whether larger studies should be performed on any of the prospective inhibitors.Far more research is needed, but the monkey results have leading AIDS researchers closely watching to see whether attacking integrase might finally be possible.- Nampa-APRepeated attempts to inhibit integrase’s function and stall the virus have failed.But Merck & Co researchers reported yesterday in the journal Science that they have developed an integrase inhibitor that significantly protected monkeys when given early in infection, and provided some benefit to the very sick, too.Merck now is studying some integrase inhibitor candidates in a handful of people to see whether the pills seem safe and to check for any early signs of viral suppression.Results, due early next year, will determine whether larger studies should be performed on any of the prospective inhibitors.Far more research is needed, but the monkey results have leading AIDS researchers closely watching to see whether attacking integrase might finally be possible.- Nampa-AP