LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Crixivan
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Crixivan is a new protease inhibitor. There is no safety data on use past six months. The only data on using this drug with two other antivirals, AZT/3TC, is from a study of 24 people for only seven months. As with all the protease inhibitors, there are many, many drugs you cannot take while you are taking Crixivan. In the year to come, there will be much more information on how and if to take this drug. And the supply problem should be over by the end of 1996.
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Crixivan is the first drug to emerge from Merck's AIDS research program, which began in 1986. Merck scientists have evaluated tens of thousands of compounds. Five investigational compounds reached human trials, and four of them failed in research. Merck's AIDS research program is one of the largest basic research programs in the company's history, and the company remains committed to research in HIV/AIDS.
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Drug Interactions: Crixivan interacts with many other HIV drugs. Drug levels increase when taken with some antiretrovirals, including Norvir, Viracept (nelfinavir), Kaletra (lopinavir/ritonavir), and Rescriptor (delavirdine). Others drugs, such as Sustiva (efavirenz) and Viramune (nevirapine), decrease levels of Crixivan. If any of these drugs are used with Crixivan, the Crixivan dose may need to be adjusted. Crixivan ... seems to increase levels of Agenerase (amprenavir), but no change in dose of either drug is recommended.
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Indinavir (Crixivan®) will not cure HIV and you can still get other illnesses or complications associated with your disease. Taking indinavir (Crixivan®) does not reduce the risk of passing HIV infection to others through sexual or blood contact. It is best to avoid sexual contact so that you do not spread the disease to others. For any sexual contact, use a condom. Be careful about cuts, abrasions and other possible sources of blood contact. Never share a needle or syringe with anyone.
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One of the challenges of taking Crixivan as it was originally prescribed was the strict every eight hours dosing schedule, made even more difficult by the empty stomach requirement. In 1998, Merck launched a 287-person study to see if Crixivan would be as effective if it were taken every twelve hours. The study was short-lived. After just six months, only 64% of those on the twice-a-day dose had undetectable levels of virus compared to 91% of those taking the drug three times a day. Unfortunately, twice-a-day dosing allowed drug levels in the body to drop too low, and some people in the trial developed resistance to Crixivan. People can now successfully use Crixivan twice a day by adding a small dose of Norvir.
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For HIV-positive adults beginning anti-HIV drug therapy for the first time, Crixivan is not recommended as a protease inhibitor option by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) in its treatment guidelines. Used without Norvir, Crixivan's three-times-daily dosing and food/fluid requirements are considered to be inconvenient. Used with Norvir, there is a high risk of kidney stones. Because of these issues, HIV-positive people starting treatment for the first time are encouraged to consider "preferred" or "alternative" protease inhibitor options (e.g., Norvir-boosted Reyataz, Norvir-boosted Lexiva, or Kaletra). To learn more about these recommendations and options, click here.
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Crixivan