One Step Closer to Affordable HIV Drug–Resistance Test By Martha Henry Harvard recently entered into a licensing agreement with Aldatu Biosciences for exclusive use of the PANDAA technology. Using PANDAA, Aldatu, a biotech start-up based at LabCentral in Cambridge, is developing a rapid HIV drug-resistance test for patients failing first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART).
We wanted to update you on Dr. Iain MacLeod, another young HAI researcher, who is building a biotech start-up around a rapid HIV drug-resistance test that he and Dr. Christopher Rowley developed in the Essex Lab.
By Martha Henry Over 12 million people are currently taking antiretroviral (ARV) treatment for HIV. That number is expected to rise to 15 million by 2015. An unfortunate consequence of the global scale up of treatment is an increase in drug resistance, which can render a drug regimen ineffective. About 10% of people fail treatment ever year. In areas like southern Africa, where the burden of HIV is greatest, the…
Continue reading “Fast, Cheap & Sensitive: HAI Researchers Invent Improved Drug Resistance Test”
Martha Henry, Editor of Spotlight, sat down with MacLeod and Raiser to discuss their recent biotech start-up. You recently won the grand prize of $40,000 for the Deans’ Health & Life Sciences Challenge hosted by the Harvard Innovation Lab (i-lab). What is your product? MACLEOD: Our product is a rapid HIV drug-resistance test focusing on six drug-resistance mutations that are most likely to impact antiretroviral therapy in resource-limited areas.
