Our History
The Institute was created under the impetus of two researchers, Drs. Julianna Lisziewicz and Franco Lori, who are now Scientific Co-Directors of the Institute. RIGHT’s basic research activities are primarily conducted in our Italian laboratory at the IRCCS Policlinico San Matteo Foundation in Pavia, one of the oldest and most prestigious hospitals in Italy. RIGHT, incorporated as a 501c3 non-profit corporation in the USA in 1994, has obtained grants from both Italy and the European Community, presented numerous studies at international conferences, and published nearly one hundred scientific articles in peer-reviewed. journals. In 2000, RIGHT was honored as a “Hero in Medicine” by The International Association of Physicians in AIDS Care (IAPAC) to acknowledge the Institute's role in the development of the first organized US and international response to the AIDS pandemic.
Our Goals:
RIGHT’s goals are: 1) to develop new therapies and vaccines against HIV/AIDS;
2) to field clinical trials to facilitate transfer of laboratory biomedical research
into new therapies for patients; and
3) to drive innovative basic research that ensures the widest cooperation possible within the international
scientific community.
RIGHT is a recognized leader in both the immunologic and therapeutic fields of HIV/AIDS treatment. RIGHT’s technology is represented by a new methodology of using hydroxyurea and other cytostatic drugs (acting on the immune system) alone or in combination with dNTP competitors (acting as antivirals) in order to effectively treat viral infections which utilize reverse transcriptase, including HIV. This technology has allowed RIGHT to develop a new class of extremely potent drugs known as “virostatics”. Virostatic drugs combine immunomodulating and antiviral properties, which are able both to suppress a specific antiviral target and induce an effective immune response against the infectious disease.
Research and Development: Hydroxyurea plus Didanosine
A series of successful academic Phase II trials of the virostatic combination of hydroxyurea and didanosine conducted by RIGHT beginning in the mid-1990's have led to the spin-off of VIROSTATICS, srl, an Italian pharmaceutical company developing the two drugs as a fixed dose combination (FDC) known as VS411. VS411 combines an antiviral drug (didanosine, ddI) with the immunomodulating cytostatic drug (hydroxyurea, HU) into a single product to be taken once-a-day for the treatment of HIV/AIDS . A Phase I trial of the hydroxyurea/ddI combination has concluded in Spain and a Phase II international study will begin accepting patients in 4Q 2007. Further trials are being planned to support a new drug registration.
Although RIGHT is focusing its efforts in the development of “virostatic” products against HIV, we are also widening our research and technology to address the treatment of other viral illnesses. Furthermore, RIGHT has devoted a significant portion of our Research & Development programs to the development of a technological platform for second-generation virostatics with the goals of increasing efficacy, reducing toxicities, and decreasing both treatment time and cost for a number of illnesses
Therapeutic Immunization Research and Development: The Dermavir Collaboration
Since 1998, RIGHT has been partnering with Genetic Immunity in the research and development of the Dermavir therapeutic immunization for HIV/AIDS. The collaboration led to an RO1 development grant for RIGHT to investigate the adjuvant use of cytokines with Dermavir. The successful research alliance has driven the progress of Dermavir into the Phase II clinical program being undertaken by Genetic Immunity as well as the development of innovative laboratory analyses to document the efficacy of therapeutic immunizations.
Diagnostics
RIGHT is also developing state-of-the-art immunologic technologies to be used in research and clinical diagnostics. Right’s innovative approaches are designed to allow for improved monitoring of patient care, enhanced documentation of the immune system’s response to HIV vaccines, and the rapid and efficient screening of virostatic agents in the laboratory.
Selected Publications
Complete Bibliography (Updated July 2007)
Laboratory Science:
Optimal HIV inhibition with low-dose hydroxyurea: antiviral and virostatic mechanisms (2005)
Hydroxyurea: Cytostatic not immunosuppressive effect on T lymphocytes (2005)
Complementary effects of hydroxyurea and protease inhibitors in dendritic cells (2002)
Immune reconstitution with hydroxyurea and anti-HIV drugs (1999)
Hydroxyurea as an inhibitor of human immunodeficiency virus-type 1 replication (1994)
Low levels of dNTPs in PBMCs: a strategy to inhibit HIV-1 replication (1993)
Drug Therapy:
Hydroxyurea and HIV: 5 years later (1999)
Animal Studies:
DermaVir/protein vaccination: central memory T cell responses/control of pathogenic SHIV (2007)
STI in Macaques: Control of SIV Rebound Through STI During Early Infection (2000)
Human Studies:
Right 702: Lowering hydroxyurea dose minimizes toxicity and maximizes anti-HIV potency (2005)
STIs to control HIV-1 infection (2000)
HIV control despite discontinuation of ART (1999)
Treatment of HIV with hydroxyurea, didanosine and a protease inhibitor (1999) |
