Two hundred twenty-five patients with AIDS and CMV retinitis are eligible for enrollment in Groups A, B, and C of the study, provided that each subject has received and tolerated a therapeutic course of intravenous (IV) ganciclovir of at least 4 weeks duration resulting in stable retinitis. An additional 100 subjects who have received and tolerated a course of IV or oral ganciclovir under any clinical trial of oral ganciclovir sponsored by Syntex Research and have stable retinitis may enter into Group D of this study and receive oral ganciclovir.

Inclusion Criteria

Concurrent Medication:

Allowed:

• Zidovudine except during the first 2 weeks of any oral or IV ganciclovir maintenance therapy.
• ddI.
• ddC.

Patients must have:

• Confirmed HIV infection or diagnosis of AIDS.
• CMV retinitis of no more than 4 months duration.
• Stable retinitis.
• Understanding of the nature of the study, agree to its provisions, and sign informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

Co-existing Condition:

Patients with the following symptoms and conditions are excluded:

• Persistent or clinically significant diarrhea (3 or more unformed stools/day), nausea, or abdominal pain or other gastrointestinal symptoms or uncontrolled gastrointestinal disease.
• Ocular media opacities (corneal, lenticular, or vitreal) preventing ophthalmologic retinal assessment.
• Ocular conditions requiring immediate surgical correction (e.g., retinal tear or detachment).
• Dementia, decreased mentation, or other encephalopathic signs and symptoms that would interfere with the ability of the subject to give informed consent or comply with the protocol.

Concurrent Medication:

Excluded:

• Zidovudine during the first 2 weeks of any oral or IV ganciclovir maintenance therapy.
• Antimetabolites.
• Alkylating agents.
• Selected nucleoside analogs.
• Selected cytokines.

Patients with the following prior conditions are excluded:

• Diagnosis of CMV retinitis more than 4 months prior to study entry.
• More than two prior induction treatments of IV ganciclovir (initial induction and one re-induction are permitted).

Prior Medication:

Excluded:

• More than two induction treatment regimens with IV ganciclovir.
• Prior oral ganciclovir (in Groups A, B, and C only).