Two-drug combo pill to treat HIV

Scientists have developed a new delivery system for a combination of two HIV drugs that may serve as an effective treatment for the deadly virus. The discovery, which allows for a combination of decitabine and gemcitabine to be delivered in pill form, marks a major step forward in patient feasibility for the drugs, which previously had been available solely via injection or intravenous therapy (IV), researchers said. “If you have a condition that requires you to take a medication everyday, as many patients with HIV do, you wouldn’t want to have to take that medication via daily injection,” said Steven Patterson, professor at the Center for Drug Design at the University of Minnesota. “This finding is a big step in demonstrating this treatment could be taken as a pill, similar to other HIV drugs, and is suitable for eventual clinical translation,” said Patterson. Researchers first announced decitabine and gemcitabine, both FDA approved drugs, could...