HIVFight

            Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is the most threatening and widespread sexually transmitted infection, being able to destroy the immunity of the host, and to create by this the proper frame for the development of virulent co-infections, such as Candidiasis. Clinical trials indicated antiretroviral drugs as being effective in HIV treatment, but due to the necessity of frequent administration, the patients are refractory to use them. Candidiasis is treated using antifungal agents such as azole drugs, but in time Candida gains resistance, leading to reduced susceptibility. This clearly reveals the need to develop new systems, with sustained release of both antifungal and antiviral agents.

 

                Therefore, this project aims to synthesize chitooligosaccharides based drug delivery systems, able to co-deliver and release in a sustained manner antifungal and antiviral agents. To reach this goal, chitooligosaccharides with various polymerization degrees will be synthesized by chitosan depolymerization, which will be further used as workbench for the obtaining of hydrogels by the reaction with 2-formylphenylboronic acid, an antifungal agent. The reagents will be combined in various molar ratios, leading to dynamic imino-boronate hydrogels with different morphological and rheological properties and strong antifungal activity. These hydrogels will be used as bioactive matrix, for the encapsulation of an antiviral drug, tenofovir, which due to its chemical structure should be able to form hydrogen bonds with the matrix. In this manner, should result drug delivery systems with prolonged antifungal and antiviral effect. In conclusion, the project addresses the demands for biomaterials for both HIV and HIV associated co-infections treatment, by an unprecedented approach of combining through reversible covalent or physical linkages, three bioactive components: antifungal chitooligosaccharides, antifungal 2-formylphenylboronic acid and antiviral tenofovir.