Erkki Lathouwers

Week 48 analysis of once-daily vs. twice-daily darunavir/ritonavir in treatment-experienced HIV-1-infected patients

Objective:ODIN (Once-daily Darunavir In treatment-experieNced patients) was a phase III, 48-week, open-label study comparing once-daily vs. twice-daily darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) in treatment-experienced patients with no DRV resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) at screening. Methods:Patients with no DRV RAMs and receiving stable HAART for at least 12 weeks were stratified by HIV-1 RNA (≤ or > 50 000 copies/ml) and randomized to once-daily DRV/r 800/100 mg or twice-daily DRV/r 600/100 mg and an optimized background regimen (≥2 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors). Primary objective was to demonstrate noninferiority of once-daily vs. twice-daily DRV/r in confirmed virologic response (HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/ml) at week 48. Results:Five hundred and ninety patients received once-daily (n = 294) or twice-daily (n = 296) DRV/r. Mean baseline HIV-1 RNA was 4.16 log10 copies/ml; median CD4 cell count was 228 cells/μl; and 53.9% had previously used at least one protease inhibitor. At week 48, 72.1% of once-daily and 70.9% of twice-daily patients achieved HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies/ml (intent-to-treat/time-to-loss of virologic response). The difference in response between once-daily and twice-daily arms was 1.2% (95% confidence interval –6.1 to 8.5%; P < 0.001), establishing noninferiority of once-daily DRV/r versus twice-daily DRV/r. Median CD4 cell count increase was 100 (once-daily) and 94 cells/μl (twice-daily). Virologic failure rate was low and similar for both arms; only one patient (once-daily arm) developed primary protease inhibitor mutations. Once-daily DRV/r had a lower incidence of grade 2–4 triglyceride increases (5.2 vs. 11.0%, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Once-daily DRV/r 800/100 mg was noninferior in virologic response to twice-daily DRV/r 600/100 mg at 48 weeks in treatment-experienced patients with no DRV RAMs, and with a more favorable lipid profile. These findings support use of once-daily DRV/r in this population.

Prevalence of the hepatitis C virus NS3 polymorphism Q80K in genotype 1 patients in the European region

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3 polymorphism Q80K is mainly found in patients with HCV genotype (G) 1a, and has been associated with a reduced treatment response to simeprevir with pegylated interferon (P) and ribavirin (R). Prevalence of Q80K among G1 patients may vary geographically. Q80K prevalence in the North-American G1 population in a recent study was 34%. We conducted a post hoc meta-analysis of Q80K polymorphism prevalence among HCV G1-infected patients enrolled in simeprevir and telaprevir Phase II/III studies. Baseline HCV NS3/4A protease sequences were analysed by population sequencing to determine Q80K prevalence. Overall, of 3349 patients from 25 countries in the European region analysed, 35.8%, 63.8% and 0.3% of patients had G1a, G1b and other/unknown HCV G1 subtypes, respectively. Q80K was detected at baseline in 7.5% of HCV G1 patients overall. Examination by subtype showed that 19.8%, 0.5% and 18.2% of patients with G1a, G1b and other/unknown HCV G1 subtypes had the Q80K polymorphism, respectively. Among countries in the European region with sequencing data available for either ⩾20 patients with G1a and/or ⩾40 G1 patients overall, the Q80K prevalence in G1 ranged from 0% in Bulgaria to 18.2% in the UK. Q80K prevalence also varied within G1a across different countries. HCV subtype 1a was correctly determined in 99% of patients by the LiPA v2 assay. A low overall prevalence of Q80K was observed in HCV G1-infected patients in the European region, compared with North America. However, the prevalence varied by country, due to differing ratios of G1a/G1b and differing Q80K prevalence within the G1a populations.

Characterization of virologic failure patients on darunavir/ritonavir in treatment-experienced patients.

Objective:Characterization of resistance development in virologic failure patients on the protease inhibitor darunavir administered with low-dose ritonavir (DRV/r) in the 48-week analysis of TMC114/r In Treatment-experienced pAtients Naive to lopinavir (TITAN). Design:TITAN is a randomized, controlled, open-label, phase III, noninferiority trial comparing the efficacy and safety of DRV/r with that of lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) in HIV-1-infected, treatment-experienced, LPV-naive patients. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients with HIV-1 RNA less than 400 copies/ml at week 48. Methods:Patients received DRV/r 600/100 mg twice daily (n = 298) or LPV/r 400/100 mg twice daily (n = 297), and an optimized background regimen. Patients who lost or never achieved HIV-1 RNA less than 400 copies/ml after week 16 were considered virologic failure patients. Genotyping and phenotyping were performed. Results:The virologic failure rate in the DRV/r arm (10%, n = 31) was lower than in the LPV/r arm (22%, n = 65). Furthermore, fewer virologic failure patients in the DRV/r arm than in the LPV/r arm developed primary protease inhibitor mutations (6 vs. 20) or nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance-associated mutations (4 vs. 15). In addition, fewer virologic failure patients on DRV/r than on LPV/r lost susceptibility to the protease inhibitor (3 vs. 13) or nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor(s) (3 vs. 14) used in the treatment regimen or to other protease inhibitors. Most DRV/r-treated virologic failure patients retained susceptibility to all protease inhibitors. Conclusion:In treatment-experienced, LPV-naive patients, the overall virologic failure rate in the DRV/r arm was low and was associated with limited resistance development. These findings showed that the use of DRV/r in earlier lines of treatment was less likely to lead to cross-resistance to other protease inhibitors compared with LPV/r.

Virological characterization of patients failing darunavir/ritonavir or lopinavir/ritonavir treatment in the ARTEMIS study: 96-week analysis

BACKGROUND In the Phase III ARTEMIS Trial, treatment-naive patients received once-daily darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) 800/100 mg (n = 343) or lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) 800/200 mg (total daily dose; n = 346) plus fixed-dose tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine. The primary outcome measure was non-inferiority of DRV/r versus LPV/r (HIV type-1 [HIV-1] RNA<50 copies/ml). Here, a detailed 96-week resistance analysis is presented. METHODS Virological failures (VFs) were defined as patients who had lost (rebounders) or who had never achieved (never suppressed) HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/ml after week 12. Genotypic and phenotypic determinations were performed on plasma samples with HIV-1 RNA ≥ 50 copies/ml. The end point was defined as the last on-treatment visit with available genotype and/or phenotype. RESULTS The VF rate was significantly lower in DRV/r (12%, n = 40) versus LPV/r patients (17%, n = 59; P = 0.0437). Among DRV/r patients, 24 rebounded and 16 were never suppressed, whereas among LPV/r patients, 33 rebounded and 26 were never suppressed. Transient HIV-1 RNA increases (≥ 50 copies/ml) occurred in 50% (n = 12) DRV/r and 48% (n = 16) LPV/r rebounders; these viral levels returned to undetectable by end point without any changes to the study regimen. No major (primary) protease inhibitor (PI) resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) developed in VFs with an available genotype at baseline and end point, and almost all developing minor PI RAMs were polymorphic. At end point, all VFs with available phenotypes at baseline and end point remained susceptible to all PIs, including study PIs. CONCLUSIONS The VF rate was lower with DRV/r than LPV/r. The findings of this resistance analysis confirmed the lack of development of major PI RAMs and the preservation of phenotypic susceptibility to all PIs in patients with VF.

Dynamics of Cellular HIV-1 DNA Levels Over 144 Weeks of Darunavir/Ritonavir Monotherapy Versus Triple Therapy in the MONET Trial

Abstract Background: In patients receiving combination antiretroviral therapy (ART), switching to monotherapy with ritonavir-boosted darunavir (DRV/r) can maintain plasma HIV-1 RNA suppression with no treatment-emergent drug resistance; effects on cellular HIV-1 DNA burden are less well characterized. Methods: In MONET, patients on stable combination ART for at least 6 months with plasma HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL and no history of virologic failure switched to DRV/r 800/100 mg once daily, either alone (n = 127) or with 2 nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) (n = 129). In a representative subset of 146 patients, total HIV-1 DNA load in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was tested retrospectively at baseline, week 48, week 96, and week 144. Results: Mean HIV-1 DNA levels at baseline vs week 144 were 2.50 vs 2.49 log10 copies/106 PBMC in the monotherapy arm and 2.59 vs 2.61 log10 copies/106 PBMC in the triple therapy arm, with mean (median) changes of -0.05 (-0.03) and +0.03 (+0.01) log10 copies/106 PBMC in the 2 arms, respectively. Overall baseline HIV-1 DNA levels were higher in patients with nadir CD4 counts <200 cell/µL (P<.05) and in patients who over 144 weeks experienced at least 1 HIV-1 RNA measurement >50 copies/mL (P < .05). Conclusions: In this substudy of the MONET trial, HIV-1 DNA levels remained stable during 144 weeks of either DRV/r monotherapy or triple therapy with DRV/r + 2 NRTIs. In both treatment arms, baseline HIV-1 DNA levels were predicted by the nadir CD4 cell count and predictive of plasma HIV-1 RNA detection during follow-up.

In vitro susceptibility and virological outcome to darunavir and lopinavir are independent of HIV type-1 subtype in treatment-naive patients.

BACKGROUND The effect of HIV type-1 (HIV-1) subtype on in vitro susceptibility and virological response to darunavir (DRV) and lopinavir (LPV) was studied using a broad panel of primary isolates, and in recombinant clinical isolates from treatment-naive, HIV-1-infected patients in the Phase III trial, AntiRetroviral Therapy with TMC114 ExaMined In naive Subjects (ARTEMIS). METHODS Patients received DRV/ritonavir (DRV/r) 800/100 mg once daily (n=343) or LPV/ritonavir (LPV/r) 800/200 mg total daily dose (n=346), plus a fixed daily dose of emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate. RESULTS DRV demonstrated high antiviral activity against a broad panel of HIV-1 major group (M) and outlier group (O) primary isolates in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, with a median 50% effective concentration (EC(50)) of 0.52 nM. Most (61%) patients in ARTEMIS harboured HIV-1 subtype B; other prevalent subtypes were C (13%) and CRF01_AE (17%); 9% harboured other subtypes. Median EC(50) values (interquartile range) for DRV were 1.79 nM (1.3-2.6) for subtype B, 1.12 nM (0.8-1.4) for C and 1.27 nM (1.0-1.7) for CRF01_AE. Virological response to DRV/r (HIV-1 RNA<50 copies/ml [intent-to-treat, time-to-loss of virological response algorithm]) was 81%, 87% and 85% for patients with subtype B, C and CRF01_AE infections, respectively. Similar results were observed in the LPV/r treatment group. CONCLUSIONS In vitro susceptibility to DRV was comparable across HIV-1 subtypes in a broad panel of primary isolates and in recombinant clinical isolates. Once daily DRV/r 800/100 mg and LPV/r 800/200 mg were highly effective in ARTEMIS irrespective of the HIV-1 subtype studied, confirming their broad anti-HIV-1 activity.

Efficacy and safety of darunavir/ritonavir at 48 weeks in treatment-naïve, HIV-1-infected adolescents: results from a phase 2 open-label trial (DIONE).

Background: Twice-daily darunavir/ritonavir is indicated in treatment-experienced children (≥3 years). This study assessed once-daily administration in treatment-naïve adolescents. Methods: Phase 2, 48-week, open-label, single-arm study evaluating pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy of once-daily darunavir/ritonavir 800/100 mg in treatment-naïve, HIV-1–infected adolescents (≥12 to <18 years, ≥40 kg) with zidovudine/lamivudine or abacavir/lamivudine. Results: Twelve patients (67% female; median 14.4 years) were enrolled. After 24 and 48 weeks, respectively, 11 of 12 (92%) and 10 of 12 (83%) patients achieved viral load <50 copies/mL (intent-to-treat time-to-loss of virologic response); all had ≥1 log10 drop in viral load versus baseline. Median CD4+ cell count increased by 175 and 221 cells/mm3 (intent-to-treat-noncompleter = failure) after 24 and 48 weeks, respectively. Eighty-three percent of patients were adherent to darunavir/ritonavir. One patient was never suppressed and 1 patient rebounded. No patients developed darunavir resistance-associated mutations or lost phenotypic susceptibility to any commercially available protease inhibitor or any background nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Eleven patients (92%) reported ≥1 adverse event (AE), considered in 2 patients to be at least possibly related to darunavir (gastrointestinal-related events and dizziness). Four patients had ≥1 serious AE. Three patients reported ≥1 grade 3/4 AE; no serious or grade 3/4 AEs were considered darunavir related. No patients discontinued because of AEs. Conclusions: Over 48 weeks, once-daily darunavir/ritonavir 800/100 mg plus NRTIs was effective and well-tolerated for treatment of HIV-1–infected, antiretroviral-naïve adolescents (≥12 to <18 years). These findings support use of once-daily darunavir/ritonavir 800/100 mg in this population.

Subgroup analysis of virological response rates with once- and twice-daily darunavir/ritonavir in treatment-experienced patients without darunavir resistance-associated mutations in the ODIN trial.

ODIN (once‐daily darunavir in treatment‐experienced patients) was a 48‐week, phase III, randomized, open‐label trial comparing once‐daily (qd) darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) 800/100 mg with twice‐daily (bid) DRV/r 600/100 mg, both with an optimized background regimen [OBR; at least two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)], in treatment‐experienced, HIV‐1‐infected adults with no DRV resistance‐associated mutations (RAMs) at screening. Week 48 analyses of virological response by subgroups are reported.

Safety and efficacy of darunavir/ritonavir in treatment-experienced pediatric patients: week 48 results of the ARIEL trial.

Background: ARIEL (Darunavir in treatment-experienced pediatric population) was a phase II, open-label study assessing safety and antiviral activity of darunavir/ritonavir twice daily with an optimized background regimen (OBR) in treatment-experienced, HIV-1-infected pediatric patients (3 to <6 years, weighing 10 to <20 kg). Methods: The study consisted of an initial 4-week screening period, 48 weeks of treatment and a 4-week follow-up period. Patients initially received darunavir/ritonavir 20/3 mg/kg twice-daily for 2 weeks. Following review of pharmacokinetic, safety and antiviral data, the doses of darunavir/ritonavir were adjusted to 25/3 mg/kg twice-daily for patients <15 kg, and 375/50 mg twice-daily for patients 15 to <20 kg. Results: Of the 34 patients screened, 21 were treated (median treatment duration 48.6 weeks). Darunavir plus an OBR was well tolerated over 48 weeks, with no new safety concerns, and a comparable safety profile to that seen in older children and adults. All treatment-emergent lipid-related and glucose-related laboratory abnormalities were grade 1 or 2. At week 48, 17 of 21 patients (81.0%) had a confirmed virologic response (intent-to-treat, time-to-loss of virologic response). Improvements in height and weight were seen during the study. Conclusions: No new safety concerns were observed over a 48 week period. These results led to lowering the age to 3 years at which darunavir/ritonavir is indicated for use in treatment-experienced pediatric patients. This study also established doses of darunavir to use in treatment-experienced, HIV-1-infected patients aged 3 to <6 years. A high virologic response was observed with this dose. No development of resistance was observed in patients who experienced virologic failure.

Telaprevir combination therapy in HCV/HIV co-infected patients (INSIGHT study): sustained virologic response at 12 weeks final analysis.

We report the SVR12 final analysis of a phase 3 study of telaprevir in combination with peginterferon (P)/ribavirin (R) in HCV‐genotype 1, treatment‐naïve and ‐experienced patients with HCV/HIV co‐infection (INSIGHT).