Rapid screening of antiretroviral combinations.

Increasing evidence supports the view that therapy with combinations of antiretroviral drugs provides greater and more sustained benefits in the treatment of HIV infection than either monotherapy or sequential therapy. As the number of licensed and developmental antiretroviral agents grows, in vitro analysis is increasingly being used to aid in the selection of effective combinations. An assay has been designed to ascertain the inhibitory action of drug combinations on HIV-infected MT4 cells, allowing rapid evaluation of those that may be of use in the clinic. Manipulation of this system also provides data on the efficacy of drugs under conditions of high viral load and against resistant strains, providing valuable information for the treatment of antiretroviral-experienced patients with advanced disease.