Date: Tue, 7 Nov 1995 10:11:33 +0500 From: "Martha Vander Kolk" Subject: CDC AIDS Daily Summary 11/07/95 AIDS Daily Summary November 7, 1995 The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) National AIDS Clearinghouse makes available the following information as a public service only. Providing this information does not constitute endorsement by the CDC, the CDC Clearinghouse, or any other organization. Reproduction of this text is encouraged; however, copies may not be sold, and the CDC Clearinghouse should be cited as the source of this information. Copyright 1995, Information, Inc., Bethesda, MD ************************************************************ "Panel Recommends New AIDS Drug" "In Brief: FDA Commissioner David Kessler" "Trying To Design Brand New Drugs By Supercomputer" "Radiant: PDT Inc. Is Shining a Light on New Drug Treatments" "Social Security Bars Claim in AIDS Bias Suit" "HIV-Related Alterations in Sleep Physiology" "Cats May Help Fight AIDS" ************************************************************ "Panel Recommends New AIDS Drug" Washington Post (11/07/95) P. A5; Neergaard, Lauran An advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended that the experimental drug 3TC be approved for use in moderately advanced to advanced AIDS patients and as an initial therapy for the disease as well. Recent studies have shown that a combination of 3TC and AZT boosted the immune system of infected individuals and reduced the level of HIV in their blood. The advisory committee noted that 3TC should not be used alone and warned that it must carry a warning that it may cause pancreatitis in children, though the drug does not appear to cause any more side effects in adults than does AZT alone. The FDA is not required to adopt the recommendations of advisory panels, but it generally does. Related Stories: Wall Street Journal (11/07) P. B7; New York Times (11/07) P. C5; USA Today (11/07) P. 1D "In Brief: FDA Commissioner David Kessler" Investor's Business Daily (11/07/95) P. A1 A class of new drugs up for review at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) represents "the best news we've had in a while" concerning AIDS, according to David Kessler, FDA Commissioner. "Trying To Design Brand New Drugs By Supercomputer" New York Times (11/07/95) P. C1; Brody, Jane E. A different approach to designing drugs called rational or structure-based drug design is being pursued by researchers at Cornell University and other research institutions and drug companies. Using a supercomputer that can create an image of a molecule in three dimensions, scientists can manipulate computer dials to construct a molecule that disables it. The goal is to devise inhibitors that can block the enzymes crucial to disease progression. This systematic way of creating new drugs has not produced a drug yet, but it looks promising for developing treatments to combat AIDS, African sleeping sickness, and cancer, among others. "Radiant: PDT Inc. Is Shining a Light on New Drug Treatments" Investor's Business Daily (11/06/95) P. A4; Lau, Gloria New light-activated drugs are making a name for California-based PDT Inc. The drugs, which are selectively retained by diseased or cancerous cells, are activated by light, which produces a photochemical reaction in the targeted area. The new process combines drugs with medical devices to treat numerous diseases including AIDS-related Kaposi's sarcoma, skin cancer, heart disease, eye disorders, and urological conditions. PDT has so far signed deals with Pharmacia SpA, Cordis, and Boston Scientific, and several of its innovative drugs are in clinical and preclinical trials. "Social Security Bars Claim in AIDS Bias Suit" Human Resource Executive (10/95) Vol. 9, No. 11, P. 14; Baran, Frank A federal judge in Philadelphia has ruled that people who seek Social Security benefits cannot also claim to be a "qualified individual with a disability" who can work. U.S. District Judge Clarence C. Newcomer was ruling in the case of Leonard McNemar, who sued his former employer, The Disney Stores Inc., for allegedly firing him because he had AIDS. McNemar argued he was dismissed just one week after a district manager asked him if he was HIV-infected. However, Disney claimed that McNemar was fired for taking two dollars from the cash register to give to a salesperson to buy cigarettes for him. The salesperson turned McNemar in on the company's loss-prevention hotline. Despite these arguments, Newcomer chose instead to focus on McNemar's application for Social Security benefits. He granted Disney's request for summary judgment and dismissed the case. McNemar's application states that he is "totally and permanently disabled," though a physician claims on the same form that he is able to work. McNemar's lawyer explains this disparity by noting that the Social Security Administration considers AIDS "a presumptive disability"--one that is equal to a finding of automatic disability. "HIV-Related Alterations in Sleep Physiology" Focus (10/95) Vol. 10, No. 11, P. 7 Two small studies determined that the sleep patterns of asymptomatic HIV seropositive men differed from standard cycles. In the first study, researchers found that although sleep efficiency was greater than 90 percent, there was an increase in slow wave sleep in the second half of the night--a finding contrary to normative sleep cycles. Researchers in the second study observed specific changes in the pattern of slow wave sleep, rapid eye movement (REM), non-REM sleep cycles, and overall percentage of slow wave sleep time. Both the seropositive and seronegative groups studied reported only vague and mild sleep complaints, most of which related to falling asleep and remaining asleep. There was, however, no correlation discovered between such sleep disturbances and the alterations in sleep cycles. Overall, these two studies confirm that sleep disturbances take place both before and separately from HIV-related secondary infections and psychiatric reasons. "Cats May Help Fight AIDS" Futurist (11/95-12/95) Vol. 29, No. 6, P. 5 Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) destroys cats' immune systems in a manner similar to how HIV attacks the human immune system, theorize researchers at Texas A&M University. The scientists are trying to find ways to bolster felines' immune systems so they can better defend themselves against FIV. As a result of this research, they hope to ultimately aid humans' fight against HIV/AIDS.