Data from two clinical trials which investigated whether a
two drug maintenance regimen could maintain viral suppression induced by a three
month period on three drugs has been published in The New England Journal of
Medicine. The French Trilege study and an American study, ACTG 343, both
found that people who remained on a triple combination of AZT/3TC/indinavir
fared better than those randomised to dual therapy, or to indinavir monotherapy.
In a stimulating editorial in the same issue, Professor David Cooper argues that
there is still good reason to study the induction maintenance
approach.