Screening HIV-1 fusion inhibitors based on capillary electrophoresis head-end microreactor targeting to the core structure of gp41.

In this paper, we design a microreactor based on electrophoretically mediated microanalysis (EMMA) with capillary electrophoresis (CE) for screening HIV-1 inhibitors that bind to the N-terminal heptad repeat (NHR, N36) region. Initially, a test sample plug is loaded into a capillary filled with buffer solution followed by N36 peptide solution, and the two solutions simultaneously mix by diffusion. Then, voltage is applied, and the sample molecules pass through the N36 peptide zone. The active compounds combine with N36, leading to a loss in the peak height of the active compound. More than 100 traditional Chinese medicine extracts (TCME) were screened, and an extract of Pheretima aspergillum (E. Perrier) (L5) was identified as having potent inhibitory activity. The results showed that L5 could significantly inhibit the HIV-1JR-FL pseudotyped virus infection; the 50% effective concentration (EC50) of L5 was approximately 32.1±1.2µg/mL, and the 50% cytotoxicity concentration (CC50) value of L5 was 146.9±4.4µg/mL, suggesting that L5 had low in vitro cytotoxicity on U87-CD4-CCR5 cells. The new method is simple and rapid, is free of antibodies, and does not require tedious processes.

A silicone elastomer vaginal ring for HIV prevention containing two microbicides with different mechanisms of action.

Vaginal rings are currently being developed for the long-term (at least 30 days) continuous delivery of microbicides against human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Research to date has mostly focused on devices containing a single antiretroviral compound, exemplified by the 25mg dapivirine ring currently being evaluated in a Phase III clinical study. However, there is a strong clinical rationale for combining antiretrovirals with different mechanisms of action in a bid to increase breadth of protection and limit the emergence of resistant strains. Here we report the development of a combination antiretroviral silicone elastomer matrix-type vaginal ring for simultaneous controlled release of dapivirine, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, and maraviroc, a CCR5-targeted HIV-1 entry inhibitor. Vaginal rings loaded with 25mg dapivirine and various quantities of maraviroc (50-400mg) were manufactured and in vitro release assessed. The 25mg dapivirine and 100mg maraviroc formulation was selected for further study. A 24-month pharmaceutical stability evaluation was conducted, indicating good product stability in terms of in vitro release, content assay, mechanical properties and related substances. This combination ring product has now progressed to Phase I clinical testing.