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Antiretroviral therapy

ANRS, Emerging Infectious Diseases · FDA-approved active Small molecule ✓ Verified Jun 2026

Antiretroviral therapy is a Combination antiretroviral therapy (multiple classes: nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, integrase strand transfer inhibitors, entry inhibitors) Small molecule drug developed by ANRS, Emerging Infectious Diseases. It is currently FDA-approved for HIV-1 infection (treatment and prevention), AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). Also known as: cryptococcal antigen negative patients, Anti-Retroviral Therapy, ART.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses HIV replication by blocking viral enzymes (reverse transcriptase, integrase, protease) and/or preventing viral entry into CD4+ T cells.

Antiretroviral therapy involves the use of multiple antiretroviral drugs to control HIV infection, with the goal of decreasing the patient's viral burden. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is a strategy that uses multiple drugs acting on different stages of the HIV replication cycle.

At a glance

Generic nameAntiretroviral therapy
Also known ascryptococcal antigen negative patients, Anti-Retroviral Therapy, ART
SponsorANRS, Emerging Infectious Diseases
Drug classCombination antiretroviral therapy (multiple classes: nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, integrase strand transfer inhibitors, entry inhibitors)
TargetHIV reverse transcriptase, HIV integrase, HIV protease, HIV envelope glycoproteins (gp120/gp41), CCR5 co-receptor
ModalitySmall molecule
Therapeutic areaInfectious Disease / Virology
PhaseFDA-approved

Mechanism of action

ART typically combines multiple drugs from different classes (NRTIs, NNRTIs, PIs, INSTIs, entry inhibitors) that target distinct steps in the HIV replication cycle. By simultaneously inhibiting multiple viral targets, combination ART reduces the viral load to undetectable levels, preserves immune function, and prevents the emergence of drug-resistant strains. This allows people with HIV to achieve near-normal life expectancy and eliminates sexual transmission risk (undetectable = untransmittable).

Approved indications

Common side effects

Key clinical trials

Primary sources

Every claim on this page is sourced from regulatory or scientific primary sources. See our editorial policy for full methodology.

SourceUsed for
ClinicalTrials.govTrial enrolment, design, endpoints, results

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Frequently asked questions about Antiretroviral therapy

What is Antiretroviral therapy?

Antiretroviral therapy is a Combination antiretroviral therapy (multiple classes: nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, integrase strand transfer inhibitors, entry inhibitors) drug developed by ANRS, Emerging Infectious Diseases, indicated for HIV-1 infection (treatment and prevention), AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

How does Antiretroviral therapy work?

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses HIV replication by blocking viral enzymes (reverse transcriptase, integrase, protease) and/or preventing viral entry into CD4+ T cells.

What is Antiretroviral therapy used for?

Antiretroviral therapy is indicated for HIV-1 infection (treatment and prevention), AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome).

Who makes Antiretroviral therapy?

Antiretroviral therapy is developed and marketed by ANRS, Emerging Infectious Diseases (see full ANRS, Emerging Infectious Diseases pipeline at /company/anrs-emerging-infectious-diseases).

Is Antiretroviral therapy also known as anything else?

Antiretroviral therapy is also known as cryptococcal antigen negative patients, Anti-Retroviral Therapy, ART.

What drug class is Antiretroviral therapy in?

Antiretroviral therapy belongs to the Combination antiretroviral therapy (multiple classes: nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, integrase strand transfer inhibitors, entry inhibitors) class. See all Combination antiretroviral therapy (multiple classes: nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, integrase strand transfer inhibitors, entry inhibitors) drugs at /class/combination-antiretroviral-therapy-multiple-classes-nucleoside-nucleotide-reverse-transcriptase-inhibitors-non-nucleoside-reverse-transcriptase-inhibitors-protease-inhibitors-integrase-strand-transfer-inhibitors-entry-inhibitors.

What development phase is Antiretroviral therapy in?

Antiretroviral therapy is FDA-approved (marketed).

What are the side effects of Antiretroviral therapy?

Common side effects of Antiretroviral therapy include Nausea and gastrointestinal disturbance, Headache, Fatigue, Lipodystrophy (fat redistribution), Dyslipidemia (elevated cholesterol/triglycerides), Hepatotoxicity.

What does Antiretroviral therapy target?

Antiretroviral therapy targets HIV reverse transcriptase, HIV integrase, HIV protease, HIV envelope glycoproteins (gp120/gp41), CCR5 co-receptor and is a Combination antiretroviral therapy (multiple classes: nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, protease inhibitors, integrase strand transfer inhibitors, entry inhibitors).

Related

Primary sources · FDA · ClinicalTrials.gov · EMA · SEC EDGAR · ChEMBL · Wikidata · full sourcing