Patent attributes
The present invention relates to a novel method for detecting efficient cryptic HIV replication in a patient who receives a suppressive antiviral therapy followed by administration of the HIV integrase inhibitor in an effective amount for intensifying the suppressive antiviral therapy, and has undetectable plasma viremia prior to the administration of the HIV integrase inhibitor. The method comprises making a pre-intensification measurement and one or more post-intensification measurements of the concentration of an episomal artifact in samples from the patient, and computing a pre-intensification HIV infection success ratio (R). A pre-intensification HIV infection success ratio (R) sufficiently close to 1 indicates that the patient has the efficient cryptic HIV replication. The method may further comprise quantifying the efficient cryptic HIV replication.
