AIDS: Toward a New Treatment
A new molecule developed by researchers atthe Montpellier Institute of Molecular Genetics ( IGMM) could revolutionize the lives of people living with AIDS.
A less intensive treatment with fewer side effects that offers a better quality of life—that is the hope a new drug offers to patients with AIDS. Its name: ABX464. What sets it apart is that it inhibits HIV replication through a completely new mechanism. "ABX464 blocks the production of viral RNAs that are essential for the replication of the AIDS virus"“, explains Jamal Tazi of the IGMM, whose research led to the development of this new molecule by the company Abivax. "This is an approach that had never been used before“, the researcher explains.
Improving Quality of Life
With the drugs currently available, the HIV virus remains under control as long as the patient takes their medication, but it begins to multiply again as soon as treatment is stopped. As a result, patients must commit to taking these medications for life. This is where ABX464 heralds a minor revolution: with this new drug, the viral load would remain very low even several weeks after patients stop taking the treatment.“This persistent effect has never been observed with existing drugs ,” notes Jamal Tazi.“The frequency of administration and duration of treatment with ABX464 could be shorter than those of current treatments.” The benefit for patients is considerable: a drug that needs to be taken less often and for a shorter period of time represents a major step toward improving quality of life.
Ongoing clinical trial
When might this new treatment be made available to all patients? For now, the compound has already successfully completed a Phase 1 trial, which demonstrated its safety and good tolerability. A Phase 2 trial, the results of which were released in April 2016, confirmed the efficacy of ABX464 in HIV-positive patients. A Phase 3 clinical trial is now needed to definitively validate Abivax’s drug candidate—the final step before market approval, which could occur by 2020.
Find the print version of this article in LUM magazine.
Jamal Tazi Receives the CNRS Innovation Medal!
Jamal Tazi, a professor at the University of Montpellier, was honored this year along with three other researchers with the prestigious CNRS Innovation Medal. At the heart of his current research is the molecule ABX464, currently in Phase 2 clinical trials, which could play a key role in developing a functional cure for HIV.