ANTI-HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS DRUG-COMBINATION STRATEGIES

It is now generally accepted that mono-and bitherapy for human immunod eficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection are only transiently efficien t mainly due to virus drug resistance. To obtain a sustained benefit f rom antiviral therapy, current guidelines recommend at least triple-dr ug combinations, or the so-called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). In some patients, HAART can be problematic, either because i t is difficult to remain compliant or because previous suboptimum ther apies have limited the choice of drugs. For compliant drug-naive patie nts, HAART should be able to offer long-term virus suppression, when c hanging from first-to second-to third-line HAART at drug failure. Long -term treatment might ultimately result in multi-drug resistant virus leaving few options for salvage therapy. HIV drug resistance testing t o guide this salvage therapy and the development of new drugs to allow new options will therefore remain priorities in anti-HIV drug researc h.