HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis Regimen

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current HIV prevention methods, such as daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), face challenges with adherence and require prolonged administration, leading to inefficiencies and adverse reactions, necessitating a more effective and simplified regimen for immediate protection after exposure.

Innovation Solution

A combination of emtricitabine (FTC), tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), elvitegravir (EVG), and cobicistat (COBI) is administered in one or two oral doses after potential HIV exposure, providing post-exposure prophylaxis without the need for daily dosing or prolonged administration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If prolonged post-exposure prophylaxis (28 days) is administered, then HIV infection prevention effectiveness is improved, but treatment complexity and adverse drug reactions increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveHIV infection prevention effectivenessVSAvoidtreatment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by administering a high dose of antiretroviral medication immediately after potential HIV exposure to establish protective levels before the virus can establish infection. This single or two-dose preliminary intervention replaces the need for prolonged 28-day treatment, achieving prevention effectiveness while reducing treatment complexity and duration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis is administered, then HIV infection prevention effectiveness is improved, but adherence requirements and treatment duration increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveHIV infection prevention effectivenessVSAvoidadherence requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies periodic action by replacing continuous daily dosing with intermittent high-dose administration only when needed - specifically, one or two doses given within hours to days after potential exposure. This periodic intervention maintains prevention effectiveness while dramatically reducing adherence burden from daily to occasional dosing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Reliability

If prolonged antiretroviral therapy is administered, then HIV transmission reduction is improved, but cost and clinical management requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
ImproveHIV transmission reductionVSAvoidclinical management requirements
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies taking out by extracting the essential preventive function from prolonged continuous therapy and concentrating it into a single or two-dose post-exposure intervention. This extracts the core transmission prevention capability while removing the burden of prolonged clinical management, monitoring, and adherence support required for 28-day regimens.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP3600332B1HIV post-exposure prophylaxis
Publication Date: 2023.12.13 THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AS REPRESENTED BY THE SECRETARY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
  • EP3600332B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

Disclosed is the use of a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, a nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor, and an integrase inhibitor after exposure to a potential human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection to inhibit or prevent an HIV infection. In some embodiments, a pharmacologically effective amount of emtricitabine (FTC), a pharmacologically effective amount of tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) or tenofovir disproxil fumarate (TDF), a pharmacologically effective amount of the integrase inhibitor elvitegravir (EVG), and optionally cobistat (COBI) are used to inhibit or prevent an HIV infection, wherein these agents are administered only after a potential exposure to HIV. In specific non-limiting examples, only one or two doses of the anti-retroviral viral agents are administered to a subject after the potential exposure to HIV.