AIDS is not a virus but a set of symptoms caused by the HIV virus. A person is said to have AIDS when their immune system is too weak to fight off infection, and they develop certain defining symptoms and illnesses. AIDS alters the immune system, making people much more vulnerable to infections and diseases. The development of effective drug delivery approaches for the treatment of AIDS and HIV infection is a global challenge. HIV is a lifelong condition and currently there is no cure, although many scientists are working to find one. However, with medical care, including treatment called antiretroviral therapy, itâs possible to manage HIV and live with the virus for many years. Treatment of HIV started as monotherapy initially, and then multiple drugs in regimens were given where patients had to consume 11-16 tablets per day. Now the mainstay of the treatment is a single fixed dose combination of Tenofovir, Lamivudine and Efavirenz per day or Zidovudine, Lamivudine and Nevirapine twice daily. Toxicity, resistance and adherence still remaina crucial issue. We need long acting depot preparations which would be efficacious for prevention, treatment and have fewer side effects. AIDS and HIV infection have reached pandemic levels in many parts of the world. Due to the complexities of virus infection cycle and the targets for delivery of antiretroviral drugs, more efficient drug delivery systems are needed
