Alpha interferon administration during structured interruptions of combination antiretroviral therapy in patients with chronic HIV-1 infection: INTERVAC ANRS 105 trial.

Interferon-α administration during structured treatment interruptions (STIs) was studied in a phase III trial. We randomized 168 chronically infected HIV undetectable under combined anti-retroviral therapy patients to have three STIs with or without α-interferon. The number of patients who had to resume treatment during post-STI follow-up was not significantly different between the two arms. Patients with a low CD4 nadir and a high baseline HIV-DNA had a higher risk of treatment resumption in the interferon arm.