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Innovative Web Source On HIV Resistance Launched By Virco Lab, Inc.
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19 May 2007
Responding to the need to make timely evaluations and decisions when treating persons with HIV/AIDS, Virco Lab, Inc., a leader in HIV drug resistance testing, recently launched http://www.resist-hiv.info, a single source for comprehensive HIV resistance information. Responses and recommendations from US-based HIV/AIDS treating physicians were an integral part of the site's development.
The introduction of powerful medicines for antiretroviral therapy has enabled people with HIV/AIDS to live longer lives. However, a major problem in the treatment of HIV is the virus' ability to rapidly mutate, causing drug resistance. A 2004 publication in the journal AIDS reported that up to 76 percent of HIV-infected individuals failing treatment in the United States have a virus resistant to at least one anti-HIV medication1. To further complicate treatment decisions, the issue of transmitted drug resistance when the virus of a newly infected patient demonstrates resistance to therapies before initiating treatment is also a major treatment concern for the HIV/AIDS health care provider.
"The ability to keep up to date with complex clinical and scientific information related to the development of rapid drug resistance is an enormous challenge to the HIV clinician," said Scott Rairigh, vice president, US Business, Virco Lab, Inc. "It is specifically this challenge that www.resist-hiv.info is poised to address."
This new source for resistance information includes educational modules for the HIV/AIDS health care provider covering the science behind resistance testing (RT) and the practical use of RT to guide the selection of antiretroviral therapy in patients with drug resistance. Resistance Reporter, an independent on-line newsletter that is delivered exclusively through the site, includes summaries of timely and relevant information about the field of HIV drug resistance, as reported by experts in the field.
Users of the site may register to receive information directly from http://www.resist-hiv.info email or through mobile text messaging; information is also available directly on the site. Polling features will allow Virco to survey users about current treatment practices and subscriber information needs.
"The results of a recent survey conducted by the American Academy of HIV Medicine (AAHIVM) clearly support the need for accurate and timely drug resistance information,' said Rairigh. That survey found that 91 percent of 385 surveyed physicians were "extremely" or "very" concerned about drug resistance2.
About Virco
Virco BVBA is a world leader in the field of HIV resistance testing services for clinical practice and clinical studies, advancing research that correlates laboratory testing with clinical management, while offering a wide range of HIV resistance diagnostics. (Virco Lab, Inc., is the US operating division of Virco.) The company applies the latest technologies in molecular biology, medical virology, and bioinformatics to develop advanced diagnostic tools that are based on pharmacogenomic principles of individualized patient care. A pioneer in HIV resistance testing, Virco has one of the world's largest repositories of HIV clinical isolates, a clinical response database with records of more than 19,000 patients, a database of more than 84,000 phenotypes and 300,000 genotypes, and cutting-edge bioinformatics capabilities.
References
1. Richman, Douglas D. 2004. The prevalence of antiretroviral drug resistance in the United States. AIDS 18:1393-1401.
2. The American Academy of HIV Medicine Resistance Survey: Conducted online by Harris Interactive of behalf of the American Academy of HIV Medicine. April 10-April 20, 2006.
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