Short-term Disulfiram Administration to Reverse Latent HIV Infection: a Dose Escalation Study

HIV Clinical Trial

Official title: Short-term Disulfiram Administration to Reverse Latent HIV Infection: a Dose Escalation Study

Status Completed

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine the safety, pharmacology and bioactivity of disulfiram in antiretroviral treated HIV-infected adults. The investigators primary hypothesis is that 3 days of disulfiram will result in an increase in HIV transcription in CD4+ T-cells in patients on suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Clinical Trial Description

Combination antiretroviral therapy for HIV-1 infection can suppress viremia to below the detection limit in the vast majority of motivated individuals with access to these drugs. However, HIV-1 persists in a small pool of latently infected resting memory CD4+ T cells carrying integrated viral genomes. Although other reservoirs for HIV-1 exist, the general consensus among experts is that latent virus (HIV DNA in resting memory CD4+ T cells) is the primary barrier to HIV-1 eradication. A widely discussed approach for eliminating this viral reservoir requires reactivation of latent HIV-1. Disulfiram, an FDA-approved drug used to treat alcoholism was shown to activate HIV-1 gene expression in vitro, suggesting that activation of latently infected cells in vivo may occur. Our primary hypothesis is that the addition of disulfiram to a stable effective antiretroviral drug regimen will result in a dose dependent increase in HIV transcription in CD4+ T-cells in HIV-1 in patients on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). ;

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
• HIV
• HIV Infections
• Human Immunodeficiency Virus

• NCT number: NCT01944371
• Study type: Interventional
• Source: University of California, San Francisco
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 1/Phase 2
• Start date: September 2013
• Completion date: May 2014