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From: Dave.Giunti@p0.f98.n125.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Giunti)
Newsgroups: sci.med.aids
Subject: 3/4 Project Inform meeting
Message-ID: <1991Feb9.212226.13318@cs.ucla.edu>
Date: 9 Feb 91 16:33:01 GMT
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IL2 (inter leukin 2) - this drug seems to cause tcell increases of
about 100-150 tcells which are sustained. A lot of the work has been
by Stanford.  There is a new version of the drug out (IL2-PEG, I think)
which will allow an easier administration of the drug (subcutaneous
injections - once a week).  Stanford has been looking at different
tcell ranges, one at a time. They are now looking at symptomatic people.
1 man in the audience is on the study has started with 37 tcells, 85
after the 1st week, 141 after the second week. He is basically
asymtomatic but has tried many different drugs (including Q) and has
not seen any other similar response. Side effects are aches and cold
like symptoms. Motrin helps.

P.I. may be taking part in an IL-2 PEG study (I think with Larry Waites
office) but this is tentative. People may want to call Stanford about
enrolling in IL-2 studies (which may or may not be open.

Compound Q - they are wrapping up the P.I. phase one study. N.Y. data
has not been tabulated. There seems to be no harmfull interaction
between AZT or DDI and Q and no synergistic effect between Q and these
drugs (although they work together). They are starting to see a differnce
between the American and Chinese Q. The American version seems to cause
less severe allergic reactions. This may be because the American version
is less pure and it is harder for antibodies to either be produced or to
recognize the Q. Chinese Q may be more effective (speculation). They are
seeing about 16% allergic reactions to Q (Chinese). They are starting to
discuss phase II (Official study?)

Waites study - 50 of 65 people stabilized or improved. There were lots
of people with no tcell increases. 1st group got 400 tcell increases (
average?) the 2nd group stayed flat (no increases), and the 3rd group
tcells declined but not as fast as they previously declned.

Dosage increases: They have seen 3 people who had no previous tcells
increases with the lower doses who increased their doses and got a
tcell increase.

Phase 2 will begin in March hopefully. McGrath/UCSF have developed a new
assay which detects infected cells in the blood. The can see if a dose of
Q make this measure go to zero. This may be a way to see which dose is
effective. The theory is that if the measure goes to 0 then that dose of
Q is effective for you. They mentioned doses ranging from 16 to 48 mics.

--  
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