Since it’s establishment in 1992, the AIDS Clinical Trials Unit (ACTU) at the University of Pennsylvania, has been a leader in creating the standards of care for HIV infection and diseases related to HIV/AIDS. The ACTU conducts the latest research studies, testing new treatments to improve the quality of life for those with HIV infection. The ACTU is one of 32 university-based clinics that make up the largest research organization in the world, known as the AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG).
Funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), research at the ACTU focuses on:
- Developing treatments based on a better understanding of the progression of HIV
- Treatment strategies to decrease virus production and improve disease-free survival
- Rapid development of medicines to prevent or delay complications
- Recruitment and treatment of study participants who represent the range of people currently infected with HIV
HIV/Hepatitis C Co-infection Clinical Trials
Penn Community Practice at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center has conducted numerous research studies focused on the treatment and clinical outcomes of chronic viral hepatitis infection, especially in the HIV population. Our recent studies have examined:
- Measurement of adherence to pegylated interferon and ribavirin hepatitis C therapy
- The incidence and risks factors for weight loss during dual HIV and hepatitis C virus therapy
- The prevalence, risk factors and clinical significance of occult hepatitis B virus infection in HIV-infected patients
- Active research is focused on shedding light on additional risk factors for end-stage liver disease among HIV/hepatitis C co-infected patients