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From: sdyer@bbncc5.UUCP (Steve Dyer)
Newsgroups: net.bio,net.med,net.motss
Subject: Re: AIDS Research - Antiviral Drugs (Query)?
Message-ID: <478@bbncc5.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 13-Dec-85 19:31:02 EST
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Posted: Fri Dec 13 19:31:02 1985
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This was asked a few months ago on net.bio.  There are a few reverse
transcriptase inhibitors being tested: one of them, suramin, is an old drug
used for trypanosomiasis.  Many of them (including suramin) have rather
toxic side-effects, probably because their ability to inhibit enzymes isn't
limited to viral reverse transcriptase.  Also, most people with AIDS are
already suffering the effects of successful viral attack; I guess you'd
really like to treat with such drugs during the initial infection, which so
far seems asymptomatic.  
-- 
/Steve Dyer
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