September 27, 2007

KP-1461: A New Approach to HIV Treatment Now in Studies

A completely new type of antiretroviral drug—KP-1461, manufactured by Koronis Pharmaceuticals—has entered the human testing phase. Whereas currently approved antiretroviral medications attempt to stop HIV from reproducing, Koronis’s compound encourages the replication of HIV. KP-1461 embeds itself in the DNA of the virus; when the virus reproduces, it does so with KP-1461 in place, resulting in the production of defective virus that can’t infect other cells.

In an interview with John James of AIDS Treatment News, Stephen Becker, MD, of Koronis explains how, in test-tube studies, the production of defective strains of HIV “[brought] about the collapse of the viral population.”

Important safety studies are now being conducted.  A potential concern is that the mutations caused by KP-1461 could backfire, resulting in a more—not less—virulent strain of HIV. Depending on these study results, Koronis will decide whether to move forward with the development of this drug.