Current developments in anti-HIV/AIDS gene therapy.

Since the introduction of highly active retroviral therapy (HAART) in 1996, dramatic improvements in therapeutic treatment modalities for HIV type 1 (HIV-1) infection have occurred. Potent drug combinations in HAART regimens efficiently block HIV-1 replication in most patients; however, multiple shortcomings of HAART are apparent and require novel treatments that can be utilized in combination with HAART or as stand-alone therapies. Gene therapy of HIV-1 represents one such treatment and several strategies are currently under development. This review focuses on advancements in the gene therapy of HIV/AIDS by highlighting the progress made in selecting new therapeutic targets and developing novel tools to exert an effect on these targets. In addition, new trends emerging from this progress are summarized. This review is based primarily on literature published between 2006 and 2008.