A Study on the Management of Combination Anti-HIV Drug Therapy in HIV-Positive Children With Prior Treatment

The Master RAD Protocol is based on the concept that optimal suppression of viral load in vivo will be achieved in patients with rapidly progressing or advanced HIV disease (RAD) using antiretroviral combinations inhibiting viral replication at distinct sites of action. Antiretroviral combinations are chosen with the hypothesis that simultaneous change to as many new agents as possible is necessary to maximally reduce plasma viral load.

In this open-label, multicenter study patients are randomized into 1 of 4 groups based on prior antiretroviral experience. Each regimen consists of 4 drugs that include a combination of nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (stavudine, lamivudine, zidovudine, didanosine, zalcitabine) plus nevirapine (NVP), nelfinavir (NFV), or ritonavir (RTV). Patients must be naive to at least 2 of the 4 drugs in the regimen and at least 1 of the novel drugs must be NVP, NFV, or RTV.

Prior to randomization to a NFV- or RTV-containing regimen, patients are stratified by HIV RNA (greater than or equal to 50,000 or less than 50,000) and must able to receive 2 or more novel drugs.

• Ritonavir (Drug)
• Nelfinavir mesylate (Drug)
• Nevirapine (Drug)
• Lamivudine (Drug)
• Stavudine (Drug)
• Zidovudine (Drug)
• Zalcitabine (Drug)
• Didanosine (Drug)

Sex: All, ages: 6 Months to 21 Years

Inclusion Criteria

Your child may be eligible for this study if he or she:

* Is HIV-positive.
* Is between the ages of 6 months and 21 years (consent of parent or guardian required if under 18).
* Has an HIV blood level above 50,000 copies/mL on 2 consecutive occasions, while taking anti-HIV therapy.
* Has advanced HIV disease or disease progression while receiving 8 weeks or more of continuous unchanged anti-HIV therapy.
* Is able to receive at least one of the following: RTV, NVP, or NFV.

Exclusion Criteria

Your child will not be eligible for this study if he or she:

* Is receiving treatment for a serious bacterial, viral, or opportunistic (HIV-associated) infection within 14 days prior to study entry.
* Has a history of pancreatitis or peripheral neuropathy.
* Has cancer requiring chemotherapy.
* Is allergic to the study medications.
* Is taking certain medications.
* Is pregnant.

• Weinberg A, Kovacs A, Pahwa S, Carey V, Oyomopito R, Mofenson L, Khoury M, Zimmer B, Burchett S. HIV-infected children on HAART reconstitute tetanus-specific T cell responses without booster vaccination. 8th Conf Retro and Opportun Infect. 2001 Feb 4-8 (abstract no 688)
• Frenkel LM, Burchett SK, Aldrovandi GM, Carey V, Oyomopito R, Mahalanibis M, Decker D, Kovacs A. HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) M184V/I improves the rate of suppression of viral replication by salvage therapy. 8th Conf Retro and Opportun Infect. 2001 Feb 4-8 (abstract no 463)
• Kovacs A, Burchett S, Khoury M, Carey V, Pahwa S, McIntosh K, Oyomopito R, Smith E, Mofenson L. Virologic and immunologic responses in children with advanced HIV disease on a new HAART regimen (PACTG 366). 8th Conf Retro and Opportun Infect. 2001 Feb 4-8 (abstract no 684)
• Weinberg A, Pahwa S, Oyomopito R, Carey VJ, Zimmer B, Mofenson L, Kovacs A, Burchett SK; Pediatric AIDS Clinical Trials Group 366 Team. Antimicrobial-specific cell-mediated immune reconstitution in children with advanced human immunodeficiency virus infection receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy. Clin Infect Dis. 2004 Jul 1;39(1):107-14. doi: 10.1086/420931. Epub 2004 Jun 14. PMID 15206061
• Results publication: Saitoh A, Sarles E, Capparelli E, Aweeka F, Kovacs A, Burchett SK, Wiznia A, Nachman S, Fenton T, Spector SA. CYP2B6 genetic variants are associated with nevirapine pharmacokinetics and clinical response in HIV-1-infected children. AIDS. 2007 Oct 18;21(16):2191-9. doi: 10.1097/QAD.0b013e3282ef9695. PMID 18090046
• Results publication: EV Capparelli, SK Burchett, A Kovacs, M Khoury, R Oyomopito, L Mofenson, B Zimmer, D Holland. Characterization of the Ritonavir-Nelfinavir Pharmacokinetic Interaction in Pediatric Patients with Advanced HIV Disease Using a Mixed Effects Modeling Approach, Pharmacotherapy, (2003), Abstract 67, Vol.23, No.3, pp.401.
• Results publication: S. Burchett, M. Khoury, K. McIntosh, V. Carey, R. Oyomopito, L. Mofenson, E. Smith, A. Kovacs, Viral Load Reduction in Children with Advanced HIV Disease Treated with 4-Drug Antiretroviral Treatment Regimens Including NRTIs, Nevirapine, Nelfinavir and/or Ritonavir, CROI, 2000.

• Andrea Kovacs, Study chair
• Sandra Burchett, Study chair