We're still waiting for a cure for HIV and AIDS but there have been significant progress as some research on using antiretroviral therapy has proven to cure HIV in mice and it could possibly carry over to humans as well.
For now, HIV-infected individuals must rely on other drugs and treatment. In Canada, a new pill called Dovato has been approved which combines two different components used in treating HIV.
The drugs inside Dovato are not new. Dolutegravir has been used in Canada since 2013. It belongs to a class of drugs called integrase inhibitors. Over the past seven years, integrase inhibitors have become the cornerstone of combination therapy for HIV in Canada and other high-income countries.
The other medicine that makes up Dovato is the nucleoside analogue 3TC (lamivudine). This drug has been used in HIV treatment regimens since the mid-1990s. It is generally safe and a successful part of many regimens.
For the first time, dolutegravir and 3TC are in one pill and this pill is approved for the initial treatment of HIV infection.
To know more about this hybrid pill, check it out on CATIE.
(Image credit: stevepb/Pixabay)
Not a cure, but almost as good.