Letermovir, an antiviral drug for cytomegalovirus (CMV), was associated with reduced inflammation, improved CD4 T-cell counts and CD4/CD8 ratios, and better physical function among people with HIV on effective antiretroviral treatment, according to a study presented at the recent Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2025) in San Francisco.
Based on these findings, lead researcher Sara Gianelle Weibel, MD, of the University of California San Diego, suggested that letermovir “is probably the most exciting intervention that has been done in people with HIV for inflammation and aging over the last 20 years.”
While antiretroviral treatment can suppress HIV replication indefinitely, HIV-positive people are still prone to chronic inflammation that can contribute to…