The Foundation is actively working with drug companies to spur an interest in the development of new treatments for HHV-6. The Foundation has also funded extensive in-vitro testing on natural compounds or compounds that are already approved for other conditions.

Although they are not FDA-approved for treatment of HHV-6 infection, many doctors treat HHV-6 encephalitis with intravenous ganciclovir (Cytovene) or foscarnet (Foscavir). Ganciclovir is also available in an oral form (Valcyte ). In vitro studies have shown that cidofovir (Vistide) which is also approved for CMV retinitis, is more effective than either ganciclovir or foscarnet (DeClercq 2003, Long 2003). However it is not known how well cidofovir crosses the blood brain barrier.

Both foscarnet and cidofovir must be administered with a great deal of hydration to avoid kidney toxicity. Typically a full liter of water is given by IV before each dose. Probenecid is given with cidofovir to protect the kidney.

Valcyte (valganciclovir) is an antiviral pill that is turned into ganciclovir in the body. Because it is better absorbed than ganciclovir pills, it causes much higher levels of ganciclovir in the blood. It is manufactured by Roche pharmaceuticals. The drug is primarily used to treat cytomegalovirus infections, which is most common in transplant patients, however it has been shown in uncontrolled studies to effectively treat co-infection of HHV-6 and Chronic Epstein Barr virus.  Stanford University researchers are undergoing a trial of Valcyte in a subset of CFS patients with elevated antibodies to HHV-6 and EBV. They call this condition Virus Induced CNS Dysfunction. (See info on Stanford Trial of Valcyte in VICD.) 

In an in vitro study at The Rega Institute funded by the Foundation, the influenza antiviral and Parkinson’s drug, amantadine, generated a reproducible inhibition of HHV-6 replication, albeit at relatively high (subtoxic) concentrations. Researchers at the Rega institute also found lamotrigine, an anti-epileptic drug, was effective against HHV-6B but not HHV-6A (Naesens et al, 2006)

See Experimental & Alternative Treatments
Read about antiviral use in transplant patients with HHV-6 encephalitis
Read more about foscarnet, ganciclovir and cidovofir
See the Foundation's interview with Drs. Eric De Clerq and Lieve Naessen's of the Rega Institute on epilepsy and antiviral treatment

The HHV-6 Foundation presents the information on this website as a service to our members and other Internet users. Because of our reliance on information provided by outside sources, we make no warranty or guarantee concerning the accuracy or reliability of the content at this site or other sites to which we link. The listing of the products, services or service providers herein does not constitute an endorsement by The HHV-6 Foundation. A judgment regarding the use of this listing must be made by the individual user only.