Raltegravir 1200 mg once daily as maintenance therapy in virologically suppressed HIV-1 infected adults: QDISS open-label trial

Background Raltegravir (RAL) has favorable tolerability and safety profile, with few and manageable drug interactions. The use of RAL 1200 mg once daily (qd) for first-line therapy is well established. We assessed efficacy and safety of RAL 1200 mg qd, as part of triple combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), for maintenance strategy. Methods The QDISS trial (NCT03195452) was a 48-week multicenter, single-arm, open-label study designed to evaluate the ability of 2 NRTIs + RAL 1200 mg qd to maintain virological suppression in HIV-1 infected subjects on a stable cART with 2 NRTIs and a third agent for at least 6 months. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/mL at week 24, by the FDA snapshot algorithm. Results Of 100 participants 91% maintained viral suppression (95% CI: 83.6–95.8) at week 24 and 89% (81.2–94.4) at week 48. At week 24, there was one virological failure, without emergence of resistance-associated mutation and 10 participants had discontinued, 4 because of adverse events (AEs). Over 48 weeks, 7 AEs of grade 3–4 were reported, one possibly study-drug related (spontaneous abortion). BMI remained stable regardless of previous therapy or baseline BMI category. Over 48 weeks, total cholesterol (p = 0.023) and LDL-cholesterol (p = 0.009) decreased, lifestyle and ease subscale significantly improved (p = 0.04). The quality of life and Patients Reported Outcomes (PROs) also improved at W12 (p = 0.007). Conclusion RAL 1200 mg qd as part of a maintenance triple therapy showed a high efficacy in virologically suppressed HIV-1 infected subjects, with good safety profile and improved lipid profile and patient reported outcomes. Trial registration: Clinical trials.gov NCT03195452 and EudraCT 2016-003702-13.

Expression of Killer Immunoglobulin Receptor Genes among HIV-Infected Individuals with Non-AIDS Comorbidities

Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) increased the life expectancy of people living with HIV (PLHIV) and remarkably reduced the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV infection. However, non-AIDS associated comorbidities including diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are increasingly reported among PLHIV receiving cART. Killer cell immunoglobulin receptors (KIRs) expressed on the surface of natural killer (NK) cells have been previously implicated in controlling HIV disease progression. The aim of this study is to investigate the role of KIRs in developing non-AIDS associated comorbidities among PLHIV. Demographic and behavioral data were collected from voluntary participants using a standardized questionnaire. Whole blood samples were collected for KIR genotyping. Hypertension (29.5%) and hyperlipidemia (29.5%) followed by diabetes (23.7%) and CVD (9.7%) were mainly reported among our study participants with higher rate of comorbid conditions observed among participants > 40 years old. The observed KIR frequency (OF) was ≥90% for inhibitory KIR2DL1 and KIR3DL1, activating KIR2DS4 and the pseudogene KIR2DP1 among study participants. We detected significant differences in the expression of KIR3DS4 and KIR3DL1 ( p = 0.038 ) between diabetic and nondiabetic and in the expression of KIR2DL3 between hypertensive and normotensive HIV-infected individuals ( p = 0.047 ). Moreover, KIR2DL1 and KIR2DP1 were associated with significantly reduced odds of having CVD (OR 0.08; 95% CI: 0.01-0.69; p = 0.022 ). Our study suggests the potential role of KIR in predisposition to non-AIDS comorbidities among PLHIV and underscores the need for more studies to further elucidate the role of KIRs in this population.

Immunotherapy with Cell-Based Biological Drugs to Cure HIV-1 Infection

Since its discovery 35 years ago, there have been no therapeutic interventions shown to enable full HIV-1 remission. Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) has achieved the sustained control of HIV-1 replication, however, the life-long treatment does not eradicate long-lived latently infected reservoirs and can result in multiple side effects including the development of multidrug-resistant escape mutants. Antibody-based treatments have emerged as alternative approaches for a HIV-1 cure. Here, we will review clinical advances in coreceptor-targeting antibodies, with respect to anti-CCR5 antibodies in particular, which are currently being generated to target the early stages of infection. Among the Env-specific antibodies widely accepted as relevant in cure strategies, the potential role of those targeting CD4-induced (CD4i) epitopes of the CD4-binding site (CD4bs) in eliminating HIV-1 infected cells has gained increasing interest and will be presented. Together, with approaches targeting the HIV-1 replication cycle, we will discuss the strategies aimed at boosting and modulating specific HIV-1 immune responses, highlighting the harnessing of TLR agonists for their dual role as latency reverting agents (LRAs) and immune-modulatory compounds. The synergistic combinations of different approaches have shown promising results to ultimately enable a HIV-1 cure.

Validation of New International Prognostic Scores, Including Baseline Peripheral Blood Variables, in Patients with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and HIV Infection Treated with R-CHOP and Combined Antiretroviral Therapy. Retrospective Study from Spanish Lymphoma Group Geltamo

Background Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most frequent subtype of HIV-associated lymphoma. Since the introduction of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), the prognosis of HIV-related DLBCL has substantially improved, resembling that of the general population. However, non-Hodgkin lymphoma still remains the first cause of AIDS-related deaths. The International Prognostic Index (IPI) is the most widely used score for DLBCL and it has been validated in the rituximab era (R-IPI). However, it has limited accuracy to identify a very high-risk prognostic subset. Although IPI has been demonstrated to be useful for predicting prognosis in HIV-related DLBCL, new scores subsequently developed, such as National Cancer Comprehensive Network IPI (NCCN-IPI), GELTAMO-IPI and a new score, which includes data from peripheral blood count, have not been applied in the HIV setting. The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic significance of the new variables -beta2-microglobulin (β2M), lymphocyte/monocyte (L/M) ratio and red blood cell width (RDW)- and to validate the new scores in a series of homogeneously treated HIV-related DLBCL patients. Methods Retrospective multicentric study of patients with HIV infection diagnosed with DLBCL in 16 hospitals from GELTAMO group in Spain, from 1998 to 2020. All patients were treated with R-CHOP and cART +/- radiotherapy. The main clinical and biological variables were collected. Peripheral absolute neutrophil, lymphocyte and monocyte counts were studied, including L/M ratio and CD4 + lymphocyte count. Moreover, HIV load, serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), β2M and RDW were evaluated. Univariable and multivariable analysis were performed using the binary logistic regression model for complete response (CR) rate and Cox proportional-hazards regression model for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Survival curves were plotted by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank test. The discrimination power of IPI, aaIPI (age-adjusted IPI), R-IPI, NCCN-IPI, GELTAMO-IPI and the new score including L/M ratio (L Bento et al., Br J Haematol. 2020) was assessed by the C-index. Results One hundred and five patients were retrospectively analysed with a median follow up of 7.08 (0.36-25.21) years. The characteristics of the patients are summarized in Table 1. In the univariable analysis, performance status ≥2, extranodal sites ≥2, lymphocytopenia and low L/M ratio were associated with shorter OS and shorter PFS probabilities. Neutropenia was also associated with lower OS and advanced Ann Arbor stage was associated with lower PFS. On the other hand, monocytosis, low CD4 + lymphocyte count, positive HIV load and high values of serum LDH, RDW and β2M had no prognostic impact. By multivariable analysis, only L/M ratio &lt;3 emerged as an unfavourable prognostic factor for OS and PFS, with harzard ratios (HR) (95%CI) of 2.515 (1.256;5.039) and 2.563 (1.314;5), respectively (Figure 1). With the aim of validating the prognostic power of each score system, the patients were divided in two groups: patients corresponding with low or intermediate-low risk versus those with intermediate-high or high risk. R-IPI, NCCN-IPI and the new score including L/M ratio showed significant differences in two groups for CR rate, OS and PFS. IPI also significantly discriminated the groups for PFS. NCCN-IPI was the strongest score to discriminate OS with a C-index of 0.638, and the new score including L/M ratio was the best one for CR rate and PFS discrimination, with a C-index of 0.669 and 0.666 respectively. Conclusions Lymphocyte/monocyte ratio is a strong prognostic factor, which can be used in patients with DLBCL and HIV infection. NCCN-IPI and the new score including L/M ratio provided the best discriminative capacity to predict prognosis in patients with HIV-related DLBCL treated with R-CHOP and cART. Supported in part by Gilead Sciences S.L., Spain (GLD19/00121); 2017 SGR288 (GRE) from CERCA Programme/Generalitat de Catalunya, and by funds from Josep Carreras International Foundation and "la Caixa" Foundation. Figure 1 Figure 1. Disclosures Lopez-Guillermo: Roche, Gilead/Kite, Celgene, Novartis, Janssen, AbbVie, Spectrum: Consultancy, Honoraria, Research Funding. Salar: Janssen: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Celgene: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; Gilead: Research Funding. de la Cruz Vicente: Takeda: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Roche: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Kyowa Kirin: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau; Eusapharma: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Beigene: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees; Abbvie: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees, Speakers Bureau. Ferrer Lores: Janssen: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees. Abrisqueta: Janssen: Consultancy, Honoraria; Abbvie: Consultancy, Honoraria; Roche: Consultancy, Honoraria; BMS: Consultancy, Honoraria; AstraZeneca: Consultancy, Honoraria. Sancho: Roche, Janssen, Celgene-BMS, Gilead, Novartis, Takeda: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Roche, Janssen, Celgene-BMS, Gilead, Novartis, Incyte, Beigene: Speakers Bureau. Ribera: SHIRE: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; ARIAD: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; TAKEDA: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; NOVARTIS: Consultancy, Speakers Bureau; AMGEN: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau; Pfizer: Consultancy, Research Funding, Speakers Bureau. Navarro: NOVARTIS, Roche: Honoraria; EUSA Pharma: Consultancy; GILEAD, EUSA Pharma: Research Funding.

Past HIV-1 Medications and the Current Status of Combined Antiretroviral Therapy Options for HIV-1 Patients

Combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) is treatment with a combination of several antiretroviral drugs that block multiple stages in the virus replication cycle. An estimated 60% of the 38 million HIV-1 patients globally receive some form of cART. The benefits of cART for controlling HIV-1 replication, transmission, and infection rates have led to its universal recommendation. Implementation has caused a substantial reduction in morbidity and mortality of persons living with HIV-1/AIDS (PLWHA). More specifically, standard cART has provided controlled, undetectable levels of viremia, high treatment efficacy, reduction in pill burden, and an improved lifestyle in HIV-1 patients overall. However, HIV-1 patients living with AIDS (HPLA) generally show high viral loads upon cART interruption. Latently infected resting CD4+ T cells remain a major barrier to curing infected patients on long-term cART. There is a critical need for more effective compounds and therapies that not only potently reactivate latently infected cells, but also lead to the death of these reactivated cells. Efforts are ongoing to better control ongoing viral propagation, including the identification of appropriate animal models that best mimic HIV-1 pathogenesis, before proceeding with clinical trials. Limited toxicity profiles, improved drug penetration to certain tissues, and extended-release formulations are needed to cover gaps in existing HIV-1 treatment options. This review will cover past, current, and new cART strategies recently approved or in ongoing development.

7,8-Dihydroxyflavone improves neuropathological changes in the brain of Tg26 mice, a model for HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder

The combined antiretroviral therapy era has significantly increased the lifespan of people with HIV (PWH), turning a fatal disease to a chronic one. However, this lower but persistent level of HIV infection increases the susceptibility of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). Therefore, research is currently seeking improved treatment for this complication of HIV. In PWH, low levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) has been associated with worse neurocognitive impairment. Hence, BDNF administration has been gaining relevance as a possible adjunct therapy for HAND. However, systemic administration of BDNF is impractical because of poor pharmacological profile. Therefore, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of BDNF-mimicking 7,8 dihydroxyflavone (DHF), a bioactive high-affinity TrkB agonist, in the memory-involved hippocampus and brain cortex of Tg26 mice, a murine model for HAND. In these brain regions, we observed astrogliosis, increased expression of chemokine HIV-1 coreceptors CXCR4 and CCR5, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial damage. Hippocampi and cortices of DHF treated mice exhibited a reversal of these pathological changes, suggesting the therapeutic potential of DHF in HAND. Moreover, our data indicates that DHF increases the phosphorylation of TrkB, providing new insights about the role of the TrkB–Akt–NFkB signaling pathway in mediating these pathological hallmarks. These findings guide future research as DHF shows promise as a TrkB agonist treatment for HAND patients in adjunction to the current antiviral therapies.

Pyrroles as Privileged Scaffolds in the Search for New Potential HIV Inhibitors

Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and remains a global health problem four decades after the report of its first case. Despite success in viral load suppression and the increase in patient survival due to combined antiretroviral therapy (cART), the development of new drugs has become imperative due to strains that have become resistant to antiretrovirals. In this context, there has been a continuous search for new anti-HIV agents based on several chemical scaffolds, including nitrogenated heterocyclic pyrrole rings, which have been included in several compounds with antiretroviral activity. Thus, this review aims to describe pyrrole-based compounds with anti-HIV activity as a new potential treatment against AIDS, covering the period between 2015 and 2020. Our research allowed us to conclude that pyrrole derivatives are still worth exploring, as they may provide highly active compounds targeting different steps of the HIV-1 replication cycle and act with an innovative mechanism.

Novel Antiretroviral Therapeutic Strategies for HIV

When the first cases of HIV infection appeared in the 1980s, AIDS was a deadly disease without any therapeutic alternatives. Currently, there is still no cure for most cases mainly due to the multiple tissues that act as a reservoir for this virus besides the high viral mutagenesis that leads to an antiretroviral drug resistance. Throughout the years, multiple drugs with specific mechanisms of action on distinct targets have been approved. In this review, the most recent phase III clinical studies and other research therapies as advanced antiretroviral nanodelivery systems will be here discussed. Although the combined antiretroviral therapy is effective in reducing viral loading to undetectable levels, it also presents some disadvantages, such as usual side effects, high frequency of administration, and the possibility of drug resistance. Therefore, several new drugs, delivery systems, and vaccines have been tested in pre-clinical and clinical trials. Regarding drug delivery, an attempt to change the route of administration of some conventional antiretrovirals has proven to be successful and surpassed some issues related to patient compliance. Nanotechnology has brought a new approach to overcoming certain obstacles of formulation design including drug solubility and biodistribution. Overall, the encapsulation of antiretroviral drugs into nanosystems has shown improved drug release and pharmacokinetic profile.

Hodgkin Lymphoma in People Living with HIV

Despite widespread use of combined antiretroviral therapy (cART) and increased life expectancy in people living with HIV (PLWH), HIV-related lymphomas (HRL) remain a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality for PLWH, even in patients optimally treated with cART. While the incidence of aggressive forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma decreased after the advent of cART, incidence of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) has increased among PLWH in recent decades. The coinfection of Epstein–Barr virus plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of HL in the HIV setting. Currently, PLWH with HRL, including HL, are treated similarly to HIV-negative patients and, importantly, the prognosis of HL in PLWH is approaching that of the general population. In this regard, effective cART during chemotherapy is strongly recommended since it has been shown to improve survival rates in all lymphoma subtypes, including HL. As a consequence, interdisciplinary collaboration between HIV specialists and hemato-oncologists for the management of potential drug–drug interactions and overlapping toxicities between antiretroviral and antineoplastic drugs is crucial for the optimal treatment of PLWH with HL. In this article the authors review and update the epidemiological, clinical and biological aspects of HL presenting in PLWH with special emphasis on advances in prognosis and the factors that have contributed to it.