LONG-TERM TREATMENT OF HIV-INFECTED MT-4 CELLS IN CULTURE WITH HIV PROTEINASE-INHIBITOR RO-31-8959 LEADS TO COMPLETE CURE OF INFECTION

An HIV-infected cell culture was treated with the specific HIV protein ase inhibitor Ro 31-8959 for three months to analyse the antiviral eff ect and possible cytotoxicity of the drug in long-term treatment. The drug was added Ih after HIV infection with 0.002 m.o.i. and maintained for 87 days in the cell culture. There was no detectable cell death n or any evidence of HIV production in this time. Cells were proven to b e initially infected, since premature drug removal led to a re-emergen ce of infectious HIV and cell death. However, after 87 days of treatme nt the drug could be removed safely and HIV was cleared demonstrably f rom the culture. These data suggest that long-term dosage may be advan tageous to the clinical treatment of HIV infection by HIV proteinase i nhibitors.