START study given green light for full study
1 October 2010. Related: Antiretrovirals.
On 27 August 2010 investigators involved in the international START trial learnt that the US Division of AIDS has committed to expanding the number of sites in order to enroll 4,000 participants by the end of 2012.
The decision was based on success of enrollment in the initial phase of the study.
START is looking at the risks and benefits of early treatment (starting above CD4 500 or waiting until 350).
It is the only ongoing randomised study that has looked at starting treatment at CD4 counts above 500.
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Recruitment into the pilot phase needs to continue at UK sites as important sub-studies are connected to the phase 1 enrollment. The roll over into the main study is continuous, so the goal is also now for 4000 participants by 2012.
The commitment to new funding will now enable new sites to join the study. This study has the potential to generate some of the most important data on the impact of HIV, treatment, an ageing from both the main and sub-studies.
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