Publications by authors named "Rahul Bakshi"

Introduction: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an effective renal replacement modality in people with HIV (PWH) with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), particularly those with residual kidney function. Data on pharmacokinetics (PK) of antiretrovirals in patients on peritoneal dialysis are limited.

Methods: A single-participant study was performed on a 49-year-old gentleman with ESKD on PD and controlled HIV on once daily dolutegravir (DTG) 50 mg + tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) 25 mg / emtricitabine (FTC) 200 mg.

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Article Synopsis
  • * Lab studies show that atovaquone-resistant parasites (Y268S mutation) have significant disadvantages during their development in mosquitoes, leading to reduced transmission potential.
  • * The Y268S mutation in Plasmodium falciparum impairs growth and transmission, indicating that drug resistance could limit the spread of these parasites in real-world scenarios.
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Rising numbers of malaria cases and deaths underscore the need for new interventions. Long-acting injectable medications, such as those now in use for HIV prophylaxis, offer the prospect of a malaria "chemical vaccine", combining the efficacy of a drug (like atovaquone) with the durability of a biological vaccine. Of concern, however, is the possible selection and transmission of drug-resistant parasites.

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Background: Depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA) is a widely used contraceptive method. HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis with emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (F/TDF) is highly effective in reducing HIV acquisition in women. We sought to determine the impact of DMPA on F/TDF pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics.

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Aims: Transgender women (TGW) have been underrepresented in trials and use gender-affirming hormonal therapies (GAHT) that may alter renal function by significantly increasing creatinine clearance. Population pharmacokinetic (popPK) models and simulations would aid in understanding potential differences in emtricitabine/tenofovir disproxil fumarate (F/TDF) parent-metabolite concentrations in TGW on GAHT when compared to cisgender men (CGM) not exposed to GAHT.

Methods: Pharmacokinetic (PK) data from a Phase 1, open-label clinical trial with directly observed therapy of daily F/TDF consisting of 8 TGW and 8 CGM was utilized for model building.

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A lubricating microbicide gel designed for rectal and vaginal use would provide a behaviorally congruent strategy to enhance pre-exposure prophylaxis adherence and reduce HIV infection risk. In this study, we report the first-in-human evaluation of such a gel containing 1% IQP-0528, an investigational antiretroviral. Seven HIV-1-negative participants received one 10 mL rectal dose of radiolabeled 1% IQP-0528 gel.

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Introduction: Oral HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) with tenofovir (TFV) disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC) is highly effective. Transgender women (TGW) have increased HIV risk, but have been underrepresented in trials. For TGW on oestrogens for gender-affirming hormone treatment (GAHT), TDF/FTC-oestrogen interactions may negatively affect HIV prevention or gender-affirming goals.

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Antibacterial drugs are an important component of malaria therapy. We studied the interactions of clindamycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and ciprofloxacin against under static and dynamic conditions. In microtiter plate assays (static conditions), and as expected, parasites displayed the delayed death response characteristic for apicoplast-targeting drugs.

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Chemoprophylaxis is currently the best available prevention from malaria, but its efficacy is compromised by non-adherence to medication. Here we develop a long-acting injectable formulation of atovaquone solid drug nanoparticles that confers long-lived prophylaxis against Plasmodium berghei ANKA malaria in C57BL/6 mice. Protection is obtained at plasma concentrations above 200 ng ml and is causal, attributable to drug activity against liver stage parasites.

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Antiretroviral drug concentrations at sites of HIV exposure are important drivers that influence the development of HIV pre-exposure chemoprophylaxis strategies and regimens. We assessed the effect of collection method-in the presence or absence of tissue culture medium-on tenofovir (TFV) and tenofovir diphosphate (TFV-DP) concentrations in colonic biopsies. We find significant baseline interbiopsy variation in TFV (38% CV) and TFV-DP (33% CV) concentrations.

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Objective: Although preexposure prophylaxis with oral tenofovir (TFV) disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine reduces HIV acquisition rates, poor adherence to and acceptability of daily vaginal gels have led to development of vaginal film formulations to improve adherence and, potentially, to enable episodic use.

Study Design: In this 2-arm, cross-over study of a fast-dissolving tenofovir film (40 mg) compared with a previously studied semisolid tenofovir 1% gel (40 mg), 10 healthy women received a single vaginal dose of each study product. Clinical, pharmacokinetic, and antiviral assessments were performed over 1 week after dose.

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While preexposure prophylaxis with oral tenofovir/emtricitabine reduces HIV acquisition rates, poor adherence to and acceptability of vaginal gels and the potential for evolving drug resistance have led to development of vaginal film formulations and other antiretroviral drugs, respectively, including the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor dapivirine. In this two-arm crossover study of a novel fast-dissolving dapivirine film and a previously studied semisolid dapivirine gel, 10 healthy women received a single 1.25 mg vaginal dose of each study product; one withdrew after the first dose.

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Knowledge of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) relationships can enhance the speed and economy of drug development by enabling informed and rational decisions at every step, from lead selection to clinical dosing. For anti-infective agents in particular, dynamic in vitro hollow-fiber cartridge experiments permit exquisite control of kinetic parameters and the study of their consequent impact on pharmacodynamic efficacy. Such information is of great interest for the cost-restricted but much-needed development of new antimalarial drugs, especially since the major human pathogen Plasmodium falciparum can be cultivated in vitro but is not readily available in animal models.

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Objective: To determine the feasibility of using quantitative changes in vaginal permeability to small molecules as a measure of candidate microbicide toxicity.

Study Design: Controlled, open-labeled, prospective study. Seven healthy women received a single vaginal dose of hydroxyethylcellulose gel (HEC), nonoxynol-9 (N-9) or K-Y Jelly.

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Oral preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) trials report disparate efficacy attributed to variable adherence. HPTN 066 was conducted to establish objective, quantitative benchmarks for discrete, regular levels of adherence using directly observed dosing of tenofovir (TFV) disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC). Healthy, HIV-uninfected men and women were randomized to one of four oral regimens of fixed-dose TDF 300 mg/FTC 200 mg tablet for 5 weeks with all doses observed: one tablet weekly (one/week), one tablet twice weekly (two/week), two tablets twice weekly (four/week), or one tablet daily (seven/week).

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Background: Previous data indicate that purified components of ginseng can inhibit HIV reverse transcriptase in vitro, suggesting that ginseng components in plasma may interfere with HIV-1 RNA detection assays.

Methods: Pre- and post-dose plasma from three volunteers dosed with 3000 mg American ginseng was spiked with HIV and analyzed by the Roche COBAS Ampliprep/Taqman v2.0 HIV-1 RNA assay.

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Malaria presents a tremendous public health burden, and new therapies are needed. Massive compound libraries screened against Plasmodium falciparum have yielded thousands of lead compounds, resulting in an acute need for rational criteria to select the best candidates for development. We reasoned that, akin to antibacterials, antimalarials might have an essential pharmacokinetic requirement for efficacy: action governed either by total exposure or peak concentration (AUC/CMAX), or by duration above a defined minimum concentration [time above minimum inhibitory concentration (TMIC)].

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Malaria (Plasmodium spp.) and human African trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma brucei spp.) are vector borne, deadly parasitic diseases.

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The objective of this study was to develop an in vitro pharmacodynamic (PD) system to test the impact of protein binding on antiretroviral (ARV) drug effect and intracellular ARV distribution. CD4(+) T cells were isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and exposed to varying and physiologically relevant concentrations of human serum albumin (HSA) and the ARV drugs efavirenz (EFV), raltegravir (RAL), etravirine (ETR), and enfuvirtide (ENF). The effect of varying extracellular protein concentration on the intracellular distribution of EFV, RAL, and ETR was assessed using ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.

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HIV seroconversion outcomes in preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) trials of oral tenofovir (TFV)-containing regimens are highly sensitive to drug concentration, yet less-than-daily dosing regimens are under study. Description of TFV and its active moiety, TFV diphosphate (TFV-DP), in blood, vaginal tissue, and colon tissue may guide the design and interpretation of PrEP clinical trials. Six healthy women were administered a single oral dose of 300 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and 4.

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