HIV Treatment and Drug Delivery

Before this study little research about antiretroviral treatment and drug administering practices exists. Furthermore, because this type of medication requires daily intake it often creates problems for patients. Mostly because of the regular time frame of the drug intake that the patient has to follow. Because of this, scientists want to develop a safe and long-lasting injection that can replace daily drug intake. Through this development, they could help alleviate the current problems with antiretroviral medication.

This ingenious medicine-administering technique consists out of three parts. Those parts are a polymer, organic solvent, and the drug or drugs. Once they come into the body the solvent disappears and the polymer and drugs stay behind. As they are harder in composition, they have the ability to slowly release the medication through an extensive period.

The preliminary testing of the drug delivery implant shows that it is effective for the administering of six antiretroviral drugs. Not only that, but the implants have a life span between one month and a year. This is why they are useful for medication that has to be taken daily. Also, the scientists working on this research project believe the technique can be adapted for HIV prevention drugs as well.

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