HIV therapy Flashcards
(25 cards)
What are NRTIs?
Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Examples: AZT (zidovudine), ddI (didanosine), ddC (zalcitabine)
What is the mechanism of NRTIs?
Chain terminators → inhibit reverse transcription
What is AZT known for?
First FDA-approved HIV drug (1987)
How are NRTIs used in therapy?
Used in combination therapy to prevent resistance
What are NNRTIs?
Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors
Examples: Nevirapine, Efavirenz, Etravirine, Doravirine
What is the mechanism of NNRTIs?
Bind reverse transcriptase, block activity
What are Protease Inhibitors (PIs)?
Drugs that prevent viral maturation by blocking protease
Examples: Saquinavir, Darunavir
What are the side effects of Protease Inhibitors?
Lipodystrophy (fat redistribution)
What are Entry Inhibitors?
Drugs that prevent viral entry
Examples: Maraviroc (CCR5 antagonist), Enfuvirtide (fusion inhibitor)
What is a challenge of Entry Inhibitors?
Expensive, requires injections
What are Integrase Inhibitors?
Drugs that prevent integration of viral DNA into host genome
Examples: Raltegravir, Dolutegravir, Elvitegravir
What is HAART?
Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
Combines 3 drugs (e.g., 2 NRTIs + 1 NNRTI/PI)
What is the effectiveness of HAART?
Reduces viral load 99% in 8 weeks
What are challenges associated with HAART?
Side effects, cost, resistance, compliance issues
What is Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)?
Truvada (tenofovir + emtricitabine) taken daily or on-demand before exposure
What is the effectiveness of PrEP?
90% effective in preventing HIV
What is Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)?
Truvada + Raltegravir, must be taken within 72 hours of exposure
What are challenges in HIV vaccine development?
Unclear protective immunity, high genetic variability, trial complexity, ethical issues
What was the AIDSVAX trial?
Targeted gp120, Phase III trial failed
What was the RV144 trial?
Prime-boost strategy (Canarypox + AIDSVAX), 31% infection reduction
What are some recent notable vaccine trials?
Uhambo, Imbokodo, Mosaico all failed
What are Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies (bnAbs)?
Target conserved regions of HIV Env protein
What is the goal of bnAbs?
Induce bnAb production via vaccines or passive immunization
What are challenges with bnAbs?
Glycan shield, sequence variability, trimer instability
