• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Raltegravir HIV drug for herpes viruses such as cmv/ebv

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,086
Location
australia (brisbane)
Raltegravir significantly alters HIV viral dynamics and decay and further research in this area is ongoing. In clinical trials patients taking raltegravir achieved viral loads less than 50 copies per millitre sooner than those taking similarly potent non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or protease inhibitors. This statistically significant difference in viral load reduction has caused some HIV researchers to begin questioning long held paradigms about HIV viral dynamics and decay.[9] Research into raltegravir's ability to affect latent viral reservoirs and possibly aid in the eradication of HIV is currently ongoing.[10]

Research results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine on July 24, 2008. The authors concluded that "raltegravir plus optimized background therapy provided better viral suppression than optimized background therapy alone for at least 48 weeks." [11]

Research on human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) terminase proteins demonstrated that Raltegravir may block viral replication of the herpesviruses.[12]

In January 2013, a Phase II trial was initiated to evaluate the therapeutic benefit of raltegravir in treating multiple sclerosis (MS).[13] The drug is active against Human Endogenous Retroviruses (HERVs) and possibly Epstein-Barr Virus, which have been suggested in the pathogenesis of relapsing-remitting MS

This is a copy and paste from wiki. Its not a cheap medicine but maybe an alternative to other antivirals for those that can afford it?? Also possibly useful for endogenus retroviruses that have been implicated in cfs/me??
 

NK17

Senior Member
Messages
592
The big problem is where in the world are we going to find a doctor ready to prescribe it for ME/CFS?
There are just a few md's here in the US that have been prescribing Valcyte (valganciclovir): Dr.Lerner, Dr. Montoya. Kogelnik,Klimas, Levine, Peterson. It's off label and only for patients who fall in the right subgroup (reactivated CMV, HHV6 and/or EBV or extremely high IgG of these herpes viruses) and this drug is extremely expensive and you want have monthly safety labs.

I hate to be the party pooper but any possibility of getting anti HIV drugs such as Raltegravir for ME/CFS are a very remote option on the horizon ...

But I'd love to be proven wrong ;)
 

heapsreal

iherb 10% discount code OPA989,
Messages
10,086
Location
australia (brisbane)
If studies show its effective for herpes viruses then maybe the cfs gurus would consider it. Over time other docs will pick up on what they are doing and if there's good results then maybe they will prescribe it. Sort of a flow on effect. With time generics will come as well as other meds which will push prices down. The makers of isentress see another use I'm sure they will promote it to increase profits.

at this stage I think it's more realistic the cmx001 which isn't approved for anything yet. It's all something to look forward too.
 
Last edited:

*GG*

senior member
Messages
6,389
Location
Concord, NH
The big problem is where in the world are we going to find a doctor ready to prescribe it for ME/CFS?
There are just a few md's here in the US that have been prescribing Valcyte (valganciclovir): Dr.Lerner, Dr. Montoya. Kogelnik,Klimas, Levine, Peterson. It's off label and only for patients who fall in the right subgroup (reactivated CMV, HHV6 and/or EBV or extremely high IgG of these herpes viruses) and this drug is extremely expensive and you want have monthly safety labs.

I hate to be the party pooper but any possibility of getting anti HIV drugs such as Raltegravir for ME/CFS are a very remote option on the horizon ...

But I'd love to be proven wrong ;)

I had a Dr prescribe me Valcyte on my suggestion back in 2009, I was only on it for about 2 months, didn't notice any improvements on it, but I realize now that I probably should have been on it longer!

GG