Short CommunicationPharmacodynamics of folic acid receptor targeted antiretroviral nanotherapy in HIV-1-infected humanized mice

•Improved pharmacodynamics of FA-nanoATV/r were shown during chronic HIV-1 infection of CD34+ HSC-NSG mice.•In mice treated every other week with 100 mg/kg FA-nanoATV/r showed viral RNA copies/ml below limit of detection.•FA-nanoATV/r enabled dosing reductions of 2.5 times over nondecorated nanoATV/r to achieve viral suppression.

Long-acting nanoformulated antiretroviral therapy (nanoART) can sustain plasma drug levels and improve its biodistribution. Cell targeted-nanoART can achieve this and bring drug efficiently to viral reservoirs. However, whether such improvements affect antiretroviral responses remains unknown. To these ends, we tested folic acid (FA)-linked poloxamer407-coated ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (FA-nanoATV/r) nanoparticles for their ability to affect chronic HIV-1 infection in humanized mice. Following three, 100 mg/kg FA-nanoATV/r intramuscular injections administered every other week to infected animals, viral RNA was at or below the detection limit, cell-associated HIV-1p24 reduced and CD4+ T cell counts protected. The dosing regimen improved treatment outcomes more than two fold from untargeted nanoATV/r. We posit that these nanoformulations have potential for translation to human use.