Health Research, Inc.

Barbara Weiser

Sean Philpott

Harold Burger

Christina Kitchen

Cristina Kitchen

A change in viral tropism occurs in many HIV positive individuals over time and may be indicated by a shift in coreceptor use from CCR5 to CXCR4. The shift in coreceptor use to CXCR4 has been shown to correlate with increased disease progression. In patients undergoing HAART, the predominant populations of virus may be shifted back to CCR5-mediated entry soon after the CXCR4-specific strains have emerged. The present invention relates to a diagnostic method to monitor coreceptor use in the treatment and clinical management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The present invention further relates to a diagnostic method applied to HIV-positive individuals undergoing HAART to monitor the suppression of CCR5- or CXCR4-specific strains. The diagnostic methods may be used to assist in selecting antiretroviral therapy and to improve predictions of disease prognosis over time. The methods of the invention include cell-based methods, including cell fusion assays, and molecular-based methods, including heteroduplex tracking assay, to both quantitatively and qualitatively analyze patient-derived HIV for coreceptor usage.

Heteroduplex tracking assay

A change in viral tropism occurs in many HIV positive individuals over time and can be indicated by a change in coreceptor usage from CCR5 to CXCR4. The change in coreceptor usage to CXCR4 has been shown to correlate with increased disease progression. In patients undergoing HAART, the predominant populations of virus can be shifted back to CCR5-mediated entry after the CXCR4-specific strains have emerged. The present invention relates to a diagnostic method to monitor coreceptor use in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The present invention further relates to a diagnostic method applied to HIV-positive individuals undergoing HAART to monitor the suppression of CXCR4 specific strains. The diagnostic methods can be used to assist in selecting antiretroviral therapy and to improve predictions of disease prognosis over time.

Analysis of HIV-1 coreceptor use in the clinical care of HIV-1-infected patients

A change in viral tropism occurs in many HIV positive individuals over time and may be indicated by a shift in coreceptor use from CCR5 to CXCR4. The shift in coreceptor use to CXCR4 has been shown to correlate with increased disease progression. In patients undergoing HAART, the predominant populations of virus may be shifted back to CCR5-mediated entry after the CXCR4-specific strains have emerged. The present invention relates to a diagnostic method to monitor coreceptor use in the treatment and clinical management of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The present invention further relates to a diagnostic method applied to HIV-positive individuals undergoing HAART to monitor the suppression of CCR5- or CXCR4-specific strains. The diagnostic methods may be used to assist in selecting antiretroviral therapy and to improve predictions of disease prognosis over time. The methods of the invention include cell-based methods, including cell fusion assays, and molecular-based methods, including heteroduplex tracking assay, to both quantitatively and qualitatively analyze patient-derived HIV for coreceptor usage.

A change in viral tropism occurs in many HIV positive individuals over time and can be indicated by a shift in coreceptor use from CCR5 to CXCR4. The shift in coreceptor use to CXCR4 has been shown to correlate with increased disease progression. In patients undergoing HAART, the predominant populations of virus can be shifted back to CCR5-mediated entry after the CXCR4-specific strains have emerged. The present invention relates to a diagnostic method to monitor coreceptor use in the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The present invention further relates to a diagnostic method applied to HIV-positive individuals undergoing HAART to monitor the suppression of CXCR4 specific strains. The diagnostic methods can be used to assist in selecting antiretroviral therapy and to improve predictions of disease prognosis over time.

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East Greenbush, NY, United States of America

Barbara Weiser