scholarly journals Operationalizing Human Immunodeficiency Virus Cure-related Trials with Analytic Treatment Interruptions During the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Pandemic: A Collaborative Approach

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Peluso ◽  
Lynda Dee ◽  
Shirley Shao ◽  
Jeff Taylor ◽  
Danielle Campbell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ◽  
Treatment Interruption ◽  
Experimental Therapy ◽  
Hiv Cure ◽  
Analytic Treatment ◽  
Treatment Interruptions ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Study Implementation ◽  
Hiv Cure Research

Abstract Efforts to recognize and minimize the risk to study participants will be necessary to safely and ethically resume scientific research in the context of the ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic. These efforts are uniquely challenging in the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cure clinical trials, which often involve complex experimental therapy regimens and perhaps analytic treatment interruption, in which participants pause antiretroviral therapy. In this viewpoint, we discuss our approach to reopening an HIV cure trial in this context, with a focus on key considerations regarding study design, informed consent and participant education, and study implementation. These recommendations might be informative to other groups seeking to resume HIV cure research in settings similar to ours.

scholarly journals Antibody Responses After Analytic Treatment Interruption in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1-Infected Individuals on Early Initiated Antiretroviral Therapy

2016 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn E. Stephenson ◽  
George H. Neubauer ◽  
Christine A. Bricault ◽  
Jennifer Shields ◽  
Madeleine Bayne ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Treatment Interruption ◽  
Antibody Responses ◽  
Viral Rebound ◽  
Analytic Treatment ◽  
Antibody Maturation ◽  
Neutralizing Capacity ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Hiv 1

Abstract The examination of antibody responses in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1-infected individuals in the setting of antiretroviral treatment (ART) interruption can provide insight into the evolution of antibody responses during viral rebound. In this study, we assessed antibody responses in 20 subjects in AIDS Clinical Trials Group A5187, wherein subjects were treated with antiretroviral therapy during acute/early HIV-1 infection, underwent analytic treatment interruption, and subsequently demonstrated viral rebound. Our data suggest that early initiation of ART arrests the maturation of HIV-1-specific antibody responses, preventing epitope diversification of antibody binding and the development of functional neutralizing capacity. Antibody responses do not appear permanently blunted, however, because viral rebound triggered the resumption of antibody maturation in our study. We also found that antibody responses measured by these assays did not predict imminent viral rebound. These data have important implications for the HIV-1 vaccine and eradication fields.

scholarly journals Viral Dynamics during Structured Treatment Interruptions of Chronic Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection

2002 ◽  
Vol 76 (3) ◽  
pp. 968-979 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simon D. W. Frost ◽  
Javier Martinez-Picado ◽  
Lidia Ruiz ◽  
Bonaventura Clotet ◽  
Andrew J. Leigh Brown
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Viral Load ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Treatment Interruption ◽  
Viral Rebound ◽  
Viral Dynamics ◽  
Viral Loads ◽  
Treatment Interruptions ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

ABSTRACT Although antiviral agents which block human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication can result in long-term suppression of viral loads to undetectable levels in plasma, long-term therapy fails to eradicate virus, which generally rebounds after a single treatment interruption. Multiple structured treatment interruptions (STIs) have been suggested as a possible strategy that may boost HIV-specific immune responses and control viral replication. We analyze viral dynamics during four consecutive STI cycles in 12 chronically infected patients with a history (>2 years) of viral suppression under highly active antiretroviral therapy. We fitted a simple model of viral rebound to the viral load data from each patient by using a novel statistical approach that allows us to overcome problems of estimating viral dynamics parameters when there are many viral load measurements below the limit of detection. There is an approximate halving of the average viral growth rate between the first and fourth STI cycles, yet the average time between treatment interruption and detection of viral loads in the plasma is approximately the same in the first and fourth interruptions. We hypothesize that reseeding of viral reservoirs during treatment interruptions can account for this discrepancy, although factors such as stochastic effects and the strength of HIV-specific immune responses may also affect the time to viral rebound. We also demonstrate spontaneous drops in viral load in later STIs, which reflect fluctuations in the rates of viral production and/or clearance that may be caused by a complex interaction between virus and target cells and/or immune responses.

scholarly journals Risk to Nonparticipants in HIV Remission Studies With Treatment Interruption: A Symposium

2019 ◽  
Vol 220 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S1-S4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nir Eyal ◽  
Steven G Deeks
Keyword(s):  
Human Subjects ◽  
Treatment Interruption ◽  
Sex Partners ◽  
Hiv Cure ◽  
Ethical Guidelines ◽  
Treatment Interruptions ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Practical Challenge ◽  
Guidelines And Recommendations ◽  
Study Participants

AbstractEthical guidelines and recommendations for human subjects research typically focus on protecting the individuals who directly participate in that research. However, additional people, including sex partners of research participants, can also face harms and burdens from medical studies. In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cure–related research, a persistent ethical and practical challenge surrounds the use of analytical antiretroviral treatment interruptions. The challenge is usually discussed in relation to risks to study participants, but serious dangers accrue to nonparticipants, including sex partners of study participants. This multidisciplinary supplement relays the risks for nonparticipating sex partners in HIV cure–related studies and addresses the ethical dilemmas raised by these studies, with recommendations for researchers, advocates, sponsors, and oversight bodies.

scholarly journals Preexposure Prophylaxis for Mitigating Risk of HIV Transmission During HIV Cure–Related Clinical Trials With a Treatment Interruption

2019 ◽  
Vol 220 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S16-S18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jean-Daniel Lelièvre
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Hiv Transmission ◽  
Treatment Interruption ◽  
Sex Partners ◽  
Hiv Cure ◽  
Analytical Treatment ◽  
Secondary Transmission ◽  
Preexposure Prophylaxis ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

AbstractAnalytical treatment interruption performed during human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cure–related clinical trials exposes sex partners of participants in these trials to a risk of HIV transmission. Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which emerged in recent years as a key strategy for preventing HIV transmission, is often considered a useful tool to prevent this risk. This article supports offering PrEP to the stable sex partners of participants in these trials but also notes limitations that must be addressed. It concludes that PrEP cannot on its own eliminate the risk of secondary transmission in this context.

scholarly journals How Unavoidable Are Analytical Treatment Interruptions in HIV Cure–Related Studies?

2019 ◽  
Vol 220 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S24-S26 ◽  
Author(s):  
David M Margolis ◽  
Steven G Deeks
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Virus Infection ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection ◽  
Outcome Measure ◽  
Hiv Cure ◽  
Analytical Treatment ◽  
Treatment Interruptions ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract In this discussion, 2 established researchers and clinical trialists debate their opposing views on the utility, benefits, and risks of the use of analytical interruption of antiretroviral therapy as a clinical trial end point and outcome measure in human studies seeking to induce remission of or eradicate human immunodeficiency virus infection.

scholarly journals Central Nervous System Safety During Brief Analytic Treatment Interruption of Antiretroviral Therapy Within 4 Human Immunodeficiency Virus Remission Trials: An Observational Study in Acutely Treated People Living With Human Immunodeficiency Virus

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanna Hellmuth ◽  
Camilla Muccini ◽  
Donn J Colby ◽  
Eugène Kroon ◽  
Mark de Souza ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Basal Ganglia ◽  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Cognitive Performance ◽  
Treatment Interruption ◽  
Activation Markers ◽  
Analytic Treatment ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract Background The central nervous system (CNS) is a likely reservoir of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), vulnerable to viral rebound, inflammation, and clinical changes upon stopping antiretroviral therapy (ART). It is critical to evaluate the CNS safety of studies using analytic treatment interruption (ATI) to assess HIV remission. Methods Thirty participants who started ART during acute HIV infection underwent CNS assessments across 4 ATI remission trials. ART resumption occurred with plasma viral load >1000 copies/mL. CNS measures included paired pre- vs post-ATI measures of mood, cognitive performance, and neurologic examination, with elective cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) sampling, brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Results Median participant age was 30 years old and 29/30 were male. Participants’ median time on ART before ATI was 3 years, and ATI lasted a median of 35 days. Post-ATI, there were no differences in median mood scores or neurologic findings and cognitive performance improved modestly. During ATI, a low level of CSF HIV-1 RNA was detectable in 6 of 20 participants with plasma viremia, with no group changes in CSF immune activation markers or brain DTI measures. Mild worsening was identified in post-ATI basal ganglia total choline MRS, suggesting an alteration in neuronal membranes. Conclusion No adverse CNS effects were observed with brief, closely monitored ATI in participants with acutely treated HIV, except an MRS alteration in basal ganglia choline. Further studies are needed to assess CNS ATI safety in HIV remission trials, particularly for studies using higher thresholds to restart ART and longer ATI durations.

scholarly journals Infectious Virus Persists in CD4+T Cells and Macrophages in Antiretroviral Therapy-Suppressed Simian Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Macaques

2019 ◽  
Vol 93 (15) ◽  
Author(s):  
Celina M. Abreu ◽  
Rebecca T. Veenhuis ◽  
Claudia R. Avalos ◽  
Shelby Graham ◽  
Suzanne E. Queen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
T Cells ◽  
T Cell ◽  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Infectious Virus ◽  
Treatment Interruption ◽  
Viral Rebound ◽  
Hiv Cure ◽  
Macaque Model ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Latently Infected

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the cellular and anatomical sites of latent virus that contribute to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) rebound is essential for eradication. In HIV-positive patients, CD4+T lymphocytes comprise a well-defined functional latent reservoir, defined as cells containing transcriptionally silent genomes able to produce infectious virus once reactivated. However, the persistence of infectious latent virus in CD4+T cells in compartments other than blood and lymph nodes is unclear. Macrophages (Mϕ) are infected by HIV/simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and are likely to carry latent viral genomes during antiretroviral therapy (ART), contributing to the reservoir. Currently, the gold standard assay used to measure reservoirs containing replication-competent virus is the quantitative viral outgrowth assay (QVOA). Using an SIV-macaque model, the CD4+T cell and Mϕ functional latent reservoirs were measured in various tissues using cell-specific QVOAs. Our results showed that blood, spleen, and lung in the majority of suppressed animals contain latently infected Mϕs. Surprisingly, the numbers of CD4+T cells, monocytes, and Mϕs carrying infectious genomes in blood and spleen were at comparable frequencies (∼1 infected cell per million). We also demonstrate thatex vivoviruses produced in the Mϕ QVOA are capable of infecting activated CD4+T cells. These results strongly suggest that latently infected tissue Mϕs can reestablish productive infection upon treatment interruption. This study provides the first comparison of CD4+T cell and Mϕ functional reservoirs in a macaque model. It is the first confirmation of the persistence of latent genomes in monocytes in blood and Mϕs in the spleen and lung of SIV-infected ART-suppressed macaques. Our results demonstrate that transcriptionally silent genomes in Mϕs can contribute to viral rebound after ART interruption and should be considered in future HIV cure strategies.IMPORTANCEThis study suggests that CD4+T cells found throughout tissues in the body can contain replication-competent SIV and contribute to rebound of the virus after treatment interruption. In addition, this study demonstrates that macrophages in tissues are another cellular reservoir for SIV and may contribute to viral rebound after treatment interruption. This new insight into the size and location of the SIV reservoir could have great implications for HIV-infected individuals and should be taken into consideration for the development of future HIV cure strategies.

scholarly journals Impact of Treatment Interruption on HIV Reservoirs and Lymphocyte Subsets in Individuals Who Initiated Antiretroviral Therapy During the Early Phase of Infection

2019 ◽  
Vol 220 (2) ◽  
pp. 270-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin D Huiting ◽  
Kathleen Gittens ◽  
J Shawn Justement ◽  
Victoria Shi ◽  
Jana Blazkova ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Immunodeficiency Virus ◽  
Antiretroviral Therapy ◽  
Early Phase ◽  
Lymphocyte Subsets ◽  
Treatment Interruption ◽  
Therapeutic Strategies ◽  
Clinical Protocols ◽  
Analytical Treatment ◽  
Hiv Reservoirs ◽  
Immunodeficiency Virus

Abstract Therapeutic strategies for achieving sustained virologic remission are being explored in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)–infected individuals who began antiretroviral therapy (ART) during the early phase of infection. In the evaluation of such therapies, clinical protocols should include analytical treatment interruption (ATI); however, the immunologic and virologic impact of ATI in individuals who initiated ART early has not been fully delineated. We demonstrate that ATI causes neither expansion of HIV reservoirs nor immunologic abnormalities following reinitiation of ART. Our findings support the use of ATI to determine whether sustained virologic remission has been achieved in clinical trials of individuals who initiated ART early during HIV infection.

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