The eradication of HIV by antiretroviral therapy has thus far been elusive. It has been
consistently demonstrated that a pool of latently infected, resting CD4+ T cells persists in
the majority of HIV-infected individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy in whom plasma
viremia has been successfully suppressed for prolonged periods of time; this pool has emerged
as the major obstacle in achieving the eradication of HIV. We believe that MK-0518 can
further the decay and suppression of HIV-1 in patients who have been virologically suppressed
for a prolonged period of time on effective cART (≥ 4 years).