Treatment of HIV-1 infection using triple-drug regimens consisting of two inhibitors of reverse transcriptase (zidovudine [AZT] and lamivudine [3TC]) and a potent inhibitor of HIV-1 protease (ritonavir, indinavir or nelfinavir) has been able to achieve a viremia in a majority of subjects. However, there remains the important problem of subjects developing resistance to the therapy. It has been found that combined ritonavir and saquinavir offers improved pharmacologic interaction and non-crossresistant patterns in the early development of resistance. In the present study patients will be given a combination of two protease inhibitors (ritonavir and saquinavir) in combination with two reverse transcriptase inhibitors, AZT and 3TC. Twelve chronically HIV-infected subjects with no previous 3TC or protease inhibitor exposure and 12 newly infected subjects (within 90 days) will be recruited to participate in this study. Safety of the drug regimen will be evaluated by lab tests; its effectiveness, by viral load and CD4 and CD8 determinations. At week 52, a lymph node biopsy may be done to help ascertain whether or not there is the requirement of further therapy.
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