AIDS, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, is caused by infection by the HIV virus. The virus infects the white blood cells, and forces the cells to generate additional virus before dying and releasing more virus into the bloodstream. As the infection progresses, the number of white blood cells steadily decreases, leaving the host open to infection. A number of medications are used to target various stages in the progression of AIDS, to help ease the symptoms of the disorder.
Fuzeon
Fuzeon is a commonly used anti-AIDS medication, developed by Roche. Fuzion is considered a fusion inhibitor, because it inhibits fusion of the virus with white blood cells to prevent infection. The drug is usually administered in combination with other AIDS medications, and it can be used for cases of AIDS where the virus has become resistant to prior medications.
In clinical trials conducted by Roche during FDA approval of the medication, administration of Fuzeon successfully decreased levels of viral DNA within the blood, as well as increased white blood cell count in patients after 90 days of treatment. People taking Fuzion in combination with other anti-AIDS medications also exhibited lower incidence of common side effects such as diarrhea, nausea and fatigue.
Combivir
Combivir is an anti-AIDS pharmaceutical that is actually made up of two drugs, called lamivudine and zidovudine, and it was developed by GlaxoSmithKline. The drugs are considered reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and they work by preventing replication of the virus within host cells. Without the ability to replicate within white blood cells, the virus cannot kill the cell or release more viruses into the bloodstream.
Although there are no clinical trials done specifically with Combivir, its components, lamivudine and zidovudine, have been tested by the FDA and found to be effective anti-AIDS medications. In an independent study published in 2002 in the Annals of African Medicine, Dr. Keshinro found that use of Combivir in AIDS patients significantly increased their white blood cell count, and enhanced their quality of life.
Use of Combivir allows patients to ingest one pill to receive two medications, to cut down on the number of pills the patient has to take daily.
Rescriptor
Rescriptor is an anti-AIDS medication developed by Pfizer. It is classified as a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. The drug prevents the HIV virus from entering the white blood cell nucleus, therefore stopping it from infecting the cell. Patients are usually prescribed Rescriptor in combination with other anti-AIDS medications to effectively treat AIDS.
Clinical trials performed with Rescriptor found that administration of the drug along with other anti-AIDS medications was able to significantly increase patients' white blood cell counts, and maintain the increase for a year. Use of the drug was also able to decrease the amount of virus in the patient's blood stream over the course of a year. Together, this confirms the effectiveness of Rescriptor as an anti-AIDS medication in combination with other drugs.
