ASM Microbe 2016: New Integrase Inhibitor Bictegravir Looks Promising in Early Studies

Gilead Sciences' novel integrase inhibitor bictegravir (formerly GS-9883) demonstrated favorable pharmacokinetics, good tolerability, an improved resistance profile compared to older drugs in its class, and potent antiviral activity in laboratory and human studies, according to a set of posters presented at ASM Microbe 2016 last month in Boston.

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ASM Microbe 2016: Novel Immune Therapy GEN-003 Improves Genital Herpes

GEN-003, a therapeutic vaccine containing recombinant herpes simplex virus (HSV) antigens, showed significant antiviral activity lasting up to a year and reduced the number of genital herpes lesions and days with recurrences, researchers reported this week at the ASM Microbe 2016 meeting in Boston.

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Coverage of ASM Microbe 2016 (ICAAC 2016)

HIVandHepatitis.com coverage of ASM Microbe 2016 -- a new conference incorporating the American Society for Microbiology annual meeting and the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy (ICAAC) -- Boston, June 16-20, 2016.

Highlights of this year's conference include antiretroviral drugs and treatment strategies, HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), microbiome research, antibiotic resistance, and emerging viruses including Zika.

Full coverage listing by topic

ASM Microbe 2016 website

7/1/16

ASM Microbe 2016: PrEP Use Is Rising Fast in U.S., But Large Racial Disparities Remain

More than 49,000 people in the U.S. have filled prescriptions for Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) at retail pharmacies, according to the results of a survey by Gilead Sciences presented this week at the ASM Microbe conference in Boston. Among PrEP users with available data, most were white gay men; black people used PrEP much less often, despite having the highest rates of HIV infection.

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ASM Microbe 2016: HIV Seroconversion Is Rare If PrEP Is Used Consistently

New HIV infections occurred at a low rate of about 1 per 100 person-years among people who took Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), with seroconversions mostly seen in those who stopped taking their pills, according to an analysis of more than 30 studies and demonstration projects presented last week at the ASM Microbe 2016 conference in Boston.

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ASM Microbe 2016: PRO 140 Antibody Injections Maintain Viral Suppression Off ART

Subcutaneous injections of PRO 140, a monoclonal antibody that blocks HIV entry into cells, was well-tolerated and maintained undetectable viral load for more than a year after stopping antiretroviral therapy (ART) in patients with viral suppression, according to a study presented at the ASM Microbe 2016 meeting this week in Boston.

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ASM Microbe 2016: Atripla 3 Times Weekly Maintains HIV Viral Suppression

People with undetectable viral load who switched from taking the Atripla single-tablet regimen (efavirenz/tenofovir/emtricitabine) every day to just every other weekday were able to maintain viral suppression for 6 months, and longer follow-up is planned, according to research presented last week at the ASM Microbe conference in Boston.

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