15 May 2000

Contents

Treatment alerts

• EMEA public statement on Viramune (nevirapine): severe and life-threatening cutaneous and hepatic reactions

Conference reports

• Third International Workshop on Salvage Therapy for HIV Infection, April 12-14, 2000, Chicago, USA

• Clinical studies of indinavir/ritonavir as salvage therapy

• Indinavir plus ritonavir: might exposure to higher levels of indinavir overcome protease resistant HIV and prove useful to ‘rescue’ previously failed protease inhibitor based combinations?

• First International Workshop in Clinical Pharmacology in HIV Therapy, 30-31 March 2000, Noordwijk, Netherlands

• TDM: standardisation and quality control

• TDM in clinical practice

• ATHENA – Early results from first randomised study of clinical benefits of TDM

• TDM for individualising dosing – practicality and efficacy for PIs and RTIs

• TDM and adherence

• Drug interactions: amprenavir, saquinavir, ABT-378/r (lopinavir/r), indinavir, efavirenz, ritonavir

• L-Acetyl Carnitine (LAC) improves symptoms of peripheral neuropathy (PN): evidence for increases in cutaneous innervation

Antiretrovirals

• ABT-378/r (lopinavir) now available on named patient basis in UK

• Enteric coated ddI available on named patient basis in UK

• Nelfinavir potency concerns

Treatment strategies

• GM-CSF beneficial for patients with advanced HIV disease

Paediatric care

• Liquid formulation of efavirenz available for children in the uk on named patient basis

• Most reconstituted CD4 cells naive after HAART in children with HIV

Side effects

• Decreased bone mineral density and HIV protease inhibitors

Virology

• A view from the lab: interview with Professor Clive Loveday