[Collection: Department of Health and Human Services on experimental PCP treatment] Item: 4 of 18
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5. What is leucovorin and how does it work?
Leucovorin calcium is a form of the vitamin folinic acid. It was
discovered, isolated and synthesized by Lederle Laboratories.
Prior to its use in combination with trimetrexate, leucovorin has been
used as an antidote to counter the toxic effects of methotrexate, a
commonly used cancer drug.
Leucovorin protects normal human cells from the toxic effects of drugs
such as trimetrexate by supplying the appropriate form of folate whose
synthesis is blocked by trimetrexate. Thus, human cells can be "rescued"
from the lethal effects of antifolate drugs. Since leucovorin does not
penetrate into Pneumocystis organisms, they cannot be "rescued" and are
thus killed.
6. Does trimetrexate cure AIDS?
No, trimetrexate has no activity against the human immunodeficiency
virus that causes AIDS. But the majority of deaths from AIDS are the
result of "opportunistic infections," of which the most common by far is
PCP.
7. What is PCP?
Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) is the most common opportunistic
infection associated with AIDS and is the leading cause of AIDS-related
deaths. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia is caused by a one-celled parasite
and is characterized by fever, a dry cough, and shortness of breath. In
its most advanced form, PCP prevents the transport of oxygen from
inhaled air into the blood, lowering blood oxygen to dangerous or fatal
levels.
8. How many AIDS patients have PCP?
At some point in the course of their disease, almost 70% of AIDS patients
will develop PCP. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control
(CDC), AIDS patients now account for 98% of all cases of PCP. Sixty-
seven percent of all new AIDS cases are diagnosed because of the
presence of PCP.
9. How can AIDS patients participate in clinical trials of trimetrexate?
Under the auspices of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases (NIAID), large-scale studies are being conducted at federally
funded AIDS Clinical Trials Units (ACTUs) throughout the country.
One comparative trial involves patients with moderate to severe PCP.
Approximately half will be treated with trimetrexate-leucovorin (TMTX-
LCV) and the other half will receive the standard therapy of
trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (T-S).
In addition, separate trimetrexate studies are being conducted byU,
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Department of Health and Human Services. [Collection: Department of Health and Human Services on experimental PCP treatment], collection, March 8, 1988; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc915769/m1/4/: accessed May 31, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.