HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a virus that causes AIDS (Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome). The virus infects white blood cells, leading to a progressive failure of the immune system. This, in turn, increases the risk of opportunistic infections. There is currently no cure for HIV infection, and treatment usually consists of consuming ARV (antiretroviral) which lowers the number of HIV in the body.

HIV therapy involves a combination of drugs that the patient has to consume once or twice a day. Strictly adhering to the medication schedule is essential in achieving a good prognosis, but a lot of patients find that there are simply too many pills to consume in a day. The scientists are trying to find a way to overcome this issue.

MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and Brigham and Women’s Hospital are currently developing an ingestible capsule with a slow release system. This slow release system enables the patient to consume the pills only once a week. As the pillbox in a capsule concept is more convenient, the scientists believe it can help the patients in undergoing ARV therapy.

The pillbox capsule has six arms, each made of a single, strong polymer that can carry different medications. After the patient ingests the capsule, every day an arm will release the drugs. A test to test the efficacy of this pillbox capsule has been done to pigs. The result shows that the capsule can indeed slowly release the drugs for one week. Further research is required to be able to use the pillbox capsule system in HIV+ individuals, but the progress is promising.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay.com

Source(s):

• Kirtane, A. R., Abouzid, O., Minahan, D. et al (2018). Development of an oral once-weekly drug delivery system for HIV antiretroviral therapy. Nature Communications, 9(1) DOI: 10.1038/s41467-017-02294-6

• HIV could be treated with a once-a-week pill (2018),https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320577.php, 11 January 2018.