Macrophages serve as vehicles for the carriage and delivery of polymer-coated nanoformulated antiretroviral therapy (nanoART). Although superior to native drug, high drug concentrations are required for viral inhibition. Herein, folate-modified atazanavir/ritonavir (ATV/r)-encased polymers facilitated macrophage receptor targeting for optimizing drug dosing. Folate coating of nanoART ATV/r significantly enhanced cell uptake, retention and antiretroviral activities without altering cell viability. Enhanced retentions of folate-coated nanoART within recycling endosomes provided a stable subcellular drug depot. Importantly, five-fold enhanced plasma and tissue drug levels followed folate-coated formulation injection in mice. Folate polymer encased ATV/r improves nanoART pharmacokinetics bringing the technology one step closer to human use.

Long-acting nanoformulated antiretroviral therapy (nanoART) that target monocyte-macrophage could improve the drug’s half-life and protein binding capacities while facilitating cell and tissue depots. To this end, ART nanoparticles that target the folic acid (FA) receptor and permit cell-based drug depots were examined using pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PD) tests. FA receptor-targeted poloxamer 407 nanocrystals, containing ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (ATV/r), significantly affected several therapeutic factors: drug bioavailability increased as much as 5 times and PD activity improved as much as 100 times. Drug particles administered to human peripheral blood lymphocyte reconstituted NOD.Cg-PrkdcscidIl2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ mice and infected with HIV-1ADA at a tissue culture infective dose50 of 104 infectious viral particles/ml led to ATV/r drug concentrations that paralleled FA receptor beta staining in both the macrophage-rich parafollicular areas of spleen and lymph nodes. Drug levels were higher in these tissues than what could be achieved by either native drug or untargeted nanoART particles. The data also mirrored potent reductions in viral loads, tissue viral RNA and numbers of HIV-1p24+ cells in infected and treated animals. We conclude that FA-P407 coating of ART nanoparticles readily facilitate drug carriage and facilitate antiretroviral responses.

Objectives: To consider the impact of juvenile Huntington disease (JHD) from a biomedical, symptom burden, and total pain palliative care perspective. Methods: This case report was informed by a narrative review of the literature with inclusion of expert opinion from pediatric palliative care, an adult and pediatric neurologist, and a child psychiatrist. Audio-recorded qualitative interview and coauthorship with the pediatric patient's primary caregiver (his mother). Results: The JHD impacts all domains of child and family function. Significance of Results: Application of the concept of total pain to JHD informs and guides care for this complex, challenging condition.