A PRIMER ON HIV TYPE 1-SPECIFIC IMMUNE FUNCTION AND REMUNE(TM)

The ability to recognize HIV antigens is lost early in HIV-1 infection . Individuals with nonprogressive HIV disease have been observed to mo unt strong immune responses against the virus and have become a paradi gm to emulate with immune-based therapies. Highly active antiviral dru g therapy (HAART) has now become the standard of care for HIV-l-infect ed individuals. Because HIV-specific anergy occurs early in HIV infect ion, HAART initiated after primary infection may not reconstitute HIV- specific immune function. We have been investigating the effects of an immune-based therapy, called REMUNE, in HIV-l-seropositive individual s. REMUNE has been observed to stimulate HIV-1-specific immune functio n measured by delayed-type hypersensitivity, lymphocyte proliferation, Th1 cytokine, and beta-chemokine production. Multiple Phase II studie s and a Phase III clinical end-point study are ongoing in thousands of seropositive individuals in order to test the clinical utility of REM UNE. The clinical testing of REMUNE and other promising immune-based t herapies may provide additional treatment modalities useful in the chr onic management of HIV-1.