The Clinical Research Initiative at the British Columbia Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS conducts a variety of research on HIV Clinical Care including:
The design and implement randomized controlled trials (RCTs):
- The Clinical Research Program has participated in large international trials of investigational ARV drugs, including the protease inhibitors tipranavir and darunavir, the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor etravirine, the CCR5 receptor antagonist maraviroc, and the integrase inhibitor raltegravir
The development of strategies for optimizing the use of investigational and newly available antiretrovirals:
- In 2005, the Clinical Research Program pioneered the use of a novel gas-powered injection system for the subcutaneous administration of the HIV fusion inhibitor enfuvirtide, leading to the recommendation of this mode of administration in international therapeutic guidelines
The examination of the pharmacokinetics of ARV drugs:
- The Clinical Research Program continues to work in concert with the research laboratory to study the complex issues of pharmacokinetic interactions among antiretrovirals and between antiretrovirals and co-administered drugs
- The study of HIV treatment and complications of HCV and HBV co-infections.
- Observational studies of HIV-related immune reconstitution syndromes,
The surveillance of side effects and toxicities of investigational and newly available antiretrovirals:
- The Clinical Research Program was one of the first groups to recognize the potential for significant renal toxicity with tenofovir and the risk factors associated with this toxicity
