# "NextGen Long-acting Platform:  Targeted Combination Antiretrovirals"

> **NIH NIH U01** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2020 · $771,303

## Abstract

The Targeted Long-acting Combination Antiretroviral Therapy (TLC-ART) Program has discovered a novel
platform that can stabilize insoluble and soluble antiretroviral drugs together in a nanosuspension which
provides long-acting (LA) plasma and cell concentrations in pre-clinical studies. The lead formulation (called
TLC-ART 101) combines three FDA-approved drugs (active pharmaceutical ingredients, APIs) that are
available generically lopinavir (LPV), ritonavir (RTV) and tenofovir (TFV). While TLC-ART 101 may not be
developed as a commercial product, substantial pre-clinical data exists and the program has received
favorable regulatory pathway guidance from the FDA. TLC-ART 101 is years ahead of other TLC-ART
formulations in development. In this application, we propose a first-in-human, hypothesis-driven, clinical trial to
provide human data about this novel, next generation, LA drug-combination platform technology. The trial will
address multiple questions about the human pharmacokinetics (PK) and safety of this new platform. The
project will be managed by an experienced, multi-disciplinary Study Leadership Team. The clinical trial will
conducted by the staff at the UW AIDS Clinical Trials Unit (a Division of AIDS-approved research site affiliated
with the AIDS Clinical Trials Group), overseen by an independent Data Monitoring Committee, and monitored
by independent monitors. The proposed trial is an open-label, single-arm study with a pharmacologically-
guided dose and duration adaptive design. The trial's hypothesis is that the TLC-ART drug-combination
nanoparticle platform is safe and able to transform the PK of three short-acting generic and physically diverse
antiretroviral drugs to create a LA concentration-time course in human plasma and cells. The primary
objectives of the clinical trial are: 1) To characterize the plasma concentration-time course and PK of a single
dose of the three APIs of TLC-ART 101 (LPV, RTV, and TFV) administered by sub-cutaneous injection, and 2)
To characterize the safety and tolerability of a single subcutaneous injection of TLC-ART 101. The trial also
has 4 exploratory mechanistic objectives that will provide information about the cell-targeting characteristics of
TLC-ART 101 (meaning intracellular blood and lymphoid cells have equal or higher API concentrations than
plasma), as well as exploring whether there are sex differences in the PK parameters of the 3 APIs. Twelve to
16 healthy persons without HIV will be enrolled in dose cohorts of 4, monitored carefully for safety, and
undergo intensive PK sampling (18 timepoints over 35 days) for plasma API concentrations using a sensitive,
validated assay done under GLP. Intracellular API and TFV-diphosphate concentrations from blood
mononuclear cells and lymph node mononuclear cells (in a subset) will be compared to plasma concentrations
to address the cell-targeting characteristics of the platform technology. The 3-year proposal includes major
milestones and a time...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9983588
- **Project number:** 5U01AI148055-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Ann Cornwall Collier
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $771,303
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-08-01 → 2023-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9983588

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9983588, "NextGen Long-acting Platform:  Targeted Combination Antiretrovirals" (5U01AI148055-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9983588. Licensed CC0.

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