Cytheris reports promising Ph I data from HIV trials

France-based biopharmaceutical company Cytheris says that its developmental antiviral, interleukin-7, has achieved promising results in two Phase I trials in HIV-infected patients. The Parisian firm explained that the drug, which is thought to have a role in the maintenance and recovery of T lymphocytes, brought about an "impressive" increase in CD4 T cells, a frequently-used measure of patient health.

The findings, which were announced at the recent Conference on Retrovirology and Opportunistic Infections, demonstrated that the product was well-tolerated and had therapeutic activity, in terms of its stimulation of the recovery of the cellular arm of the immune system. The company added that this effect, which was observed in all patients who received treatment, was sustained for a prolonged period.