Global health R&D at work in Nebraska
University of Nebraska Medical Center researchers have used a process called LASER ART (long-acting slow effective release antiretroviral therapy) to extend the action of HIV drugs. By combining LASER ART—a type of injectable drug with an altered chemical structure—with another pharmaceutical agent with no antiviral effect, the scientists showed that the drug composite could reach body tissue conventional drugs cannot. It insulates drug crystals within cells, protecting them from degradation and allowing for the slow release of active ingredients. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize HIV therapy. With LASER ART, drug regimens could be transformed from daily burdens to monthly doses, greatly improving patients’ quality of life.