SYNERGISTIC INHIBITION OF PRIMARY ISOLATES OF HUMAN-IMMUNODEFICIENCY-VIRUS TYPE-1 BY COMBINATIONS OF 3'-FLUORO-3'-DEOXYTHYMIDINE AND 2',3'-DIDEOXYINOSINE

We examined the antiviral effect against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 of 3'-fluoro-3'-deoxythymidine and 2',3'-dideoxyinosine, both alone and in combination. Primary isolates of human immunodeficiency virus were used directly after isolation on peripheral blood mononuclear cells, without culturing on established cell lines, in order to maintain close similarity to the clinical situation. All isolates were synergistically inhibited by combinations of the drugs, though their susceptibility to the separate drugs varied. The selectivity indices of the combinations were similar to that of the individual drugs. The synergistic combination of 3'-fluoro-3'-deoxythymidine and 2',3'-dideoxyinosine appears promising for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection and deserves further investigation.