CHALLENGES IN THE THERAPY OF HIV-INFECTION

Drugs that inhibit human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) replication have been shown to have clinical utility in patients with HIV infection. H owever, the immunological improvement induced by available anti-HIV th erapies in patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) is incomplete and transient. Explanations for this may include immunolog ical barriers to complete reconstitution, low therapeutic indices of t he available drugs, and the development of viral resistance. An unders tanding of these processes, as discussed here by Robert Yarchoan and c olleagues, may provide important leads for the development of improved therapy for AIDS.