combination antiretroviral therapy + rilpivirine

cART + rilpivirine is an investigational combination drug regimen being evaluated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection, specifically in immunological non-responders (INR). This regimen involves the addition of rilpivirine, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), to a patient's existing suppressive combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) backbone. Developed by researchers at the Fifth Medical Center of the PLA General Hospital (formerly Beijing 302 Hospital), the strategy leverages rilpivirine's dual mechanism: its primary role in inhibiting HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and its recently discovered ability to activate the CARD8 inflammasome. Activation of CARD8 triggers pyroptosis in HIV-infected cells, which is hypothesized to reduce the latent viral reservoir and improve CD4+ T-cell recovery in patients who do not achieve adequate immune restoration despite virological suppression.

Other names

cART + rilpivirinerilpivirine + cARTrilpivirine plus combination antiretroviral therapy