raltegravir-potassium and etravirine

The World Health Organization identified a need for evidence to inform revision of second- and third-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) options in children failing ART. We performed an in-depth scoping review of all available literature on second-line and subsequent ART regimens in children younger than 18 years.. We comprehensively searched, without language or date limitations, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, EMBASE, the World Health Organization's International Clinical Trials Registry Platform and ClinicalTrials.gov.. The search retrieved 1982 records. Eighteen studies provided efficacy data: 1 randomized controlled trial, 7 phase II trials, 5 prospective and 5 retrospective cohorts. Five studies evaluated regimens in children failing first-line ART, 4 in children with multidrug resistance and 9 in children with variable treatment experience. Only 10/18 studies reported week 48 or month 12 outcomes. The overall proportion of children with virologic suppression defined by study at week 48 was 61.8%. Although the randomized controlled trial had low risk of bias, outcomes were similar between groups because of highly active optimized background regimens. All phase II and prospective studies were judged to have moderate to high risk of bias. No study compared currently recommended lopinavir-based second-line regimens for nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor failures to other non-nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor regimens head-to-head.. We found no evidence comparing current World Health Organization-recommended second- and third-line ART regimens with regimens including drugs of interest: raltegravir, darunavir, etravirine and atazanavir. Randomized controlled trials or prospective cohort studies with comparator arms, and bridging studies, ideally conducted in resource-limited settings, are required to guide future recommendations.

Topics: Adolescent; Anti-HIV Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Atazanavir Sulfate; Child; Child, Preschool; Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; Cohort Studies; Darunavir; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Nitriles; Practice Guidelines as Topic; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Viral Load

There has been a major paradigm shift in the management of HIV infected patients, with earlier initiation of antiretroviral treatment and lifelong exposure to drugs for which long-term safety issues must be faced by clinicians. Within the past 5 years, new drugs from both previously established and novel therapeutic classes have been released that tend to be safer and more efficient than their former combinations. Although hepatotoxicity was one of the most common side effects from initial antiretrovirals, phase II/III safety data regarding liver tolerance from more recent drugs are reassuring. However, data on the long-term exposure to these therapeutic options are needed, and a handful of case reports are emerging, reporting rare but potentially life-threatening adverse hepatic events in patients with hepatitis co-infection or taking other hepatotoxic drugs.

Topics: Anti-Retroviral Agents; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cyclohexanes; Darunavir; Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; Humans; Maraviroc; Nitriles; Oxazines; Piperazines; Pyridazines; Pyridones; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Quinolones; Raltegravir Potassium; Rilpivirine; Sulfonamides; Triazoles

Since 1996, the prognosis of those living with HIV and AIDS has improved significantly due to highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Treatment failure can occur clinically, immunologically or virologically. Until recently, treatment options for those individuals harboring resistance to the three initial licensed classes of drug have been limited. These three classes are the nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) and protease inhibitors (PIs). New drugs are now available in these classes (second generation NNRTIs and novel PIs) as well as new classes of drugs, integrase inhibitors, CCR5 antagonists and fusion inhibitors. If these new drugs are used appropriately with other active antiretroviral agents, it is probable that antiretroviral therapy can achieve the optimum outcome of HIV therapy - durable suppression of HIV viraemia. This article is a review of currently available antiretroviral agents including the new classes and second generation drugs, resistance pathways and treatment options for salvage therapy.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; CCR5 Receptor Antagonists; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cyclohexanes; Darunavir; HIV Fusion Inhibitors; HIV Infections; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Maraviroc; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyridines; Pyrimidines; Pyrones; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Salvage Therapy; Sulfonamides; Treatment Outcome; Triazoles

Darunavir is a new protease inhibitor. This drug is highly active against wild-type and multiresistant HIV strains, binds strongly to the HIV-1 protease, has extremely high affinity for the protease and, when enhanced by subtherapeutic doses of ritonavir, has a favorable resistance profile differing from that of current protease inhibitors (PIs). After determining the optimal dose, phase IIb clinical trials (POWER studies 1 and 2) observed much higher virological and immunological efficacy with darunavir than with the comparator PIs. The results of a phase III clinical trial (POWER 3) provide further support for the safety and efficacy of darunavir, and the three POWER studies demonstrate the high genetic barrier of this drug against mutations conferring resistance to other PIs, although the baseline sensitivity of darunavir and the specific mutations to this PI influence the virological response. Better therapeutic responses have been obtained when there are two or more antiretroviral drugs active against multiresistant HIV strains. The phase III trials (DUET 1 and 2), in which darunavir was administered with the new nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, etravirine, found that if these two drugs were administered in highly treatment-experienced patients, a large percentage showed suppression of plasma viremia and immunological recovery. These data have been supported by the results of the BENCHMARK studies, in which darunavir was included in an optimized regimen in a substantial number of patients. In these trials, when darunavir was administered with the integrase inhibitor, raltegravir, undetectable viral loads both in the raltegravir arm and in the control group were substantially improved with respect to the overall results obtained in the control group.

Topics: Adult; Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; Darunavir; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Double-Blind Method; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; HIV Infections; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; HIV Protease; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Ritonavir; Sulfonamides; Treatment Outcome; Viremia

Antiretroviral rescue therapy has been revolutionized by the development of new drugs in the last few years: enfuvirtide (a fusion inhibitor), tipranavir/ritonavir (a high genetic barrier protease inhibitor), darunavir/ritonavir (a high genetic barrier protease inhibitor), etravirine (a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor active against nevirapine- and efavirenz- resistant HIV), maraviroc (a CCR5 coreceptor inhibitor) and raltegravir (an integrase inhibitor). The use of these drugs in rescue regimens has allowed the goal of antiretroviral rescue therapy to be the same as that in treatment naive-patients: to achieve a viral load lower than 50 copies of RNA of HIV/ml. Raltegravir is the first integrase inhibitor available for clinical use in Spain. This drug is primarily metabolized through UGT1A1-mediated glucuronidation and consequently has a low potential for interactions with drugs metabolized by the cytochrome P450 pathway. Raltegravir has been demonstrated to have high efficacy in two large clinical trials of rescue therapy, especially when combined with darunavir/ritonavir and enfuvirtide. Preliminary data suggest that raltegravir could also be an effective drug in treatment-naive patients and as substitution therapy in patients with toxicity due to boosted protease inhibitor therapy. The drug's unusual mechanism of action has reopened the possibility of a positive effect on latent HIV reservoirs.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; CCR5 Receptor Antagonists; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cyclohexanes; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral; Drug Therapy, Combination; Enfuvirtide; Forecasting; HIV Envelope Protein gp41; HIV Fusion Inhibitors; HIV Infections; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; Humans; Maraviroc; Nitriles; Peptide Fragments; Pyridazines; Pyridines; Pyrimidines; Pyrones; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Sulfonamides; Triazoles

Drugs in development for the management of HIV type 1 (HIV-1) infection include agents in existing classes and agents of novel classes. Of existing classes, new protease inhibitors, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors and non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors are in development. Novel therapeutic approaches include the development of chemokine receptor (CCR)5 antagonists, integrase inhibitors and maturation inhibitors. CCR5 antagonists are thought to inhibit HIV-1 entry into host cells by occupying a specific site on the CCR5 receptor, preventing attachment of the HIV-1 envelope protein gp120. Integrase inhibitors are small synthetically prepared molecules that block RNA/DNA interactions and modify protein or enzyme synthesis. Data on the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of these new antiretroviral agents continue to generate interest. This review reports the known data on the pharmacokinetics of experimental antiretrovirals, and describe the main drug-drug interactions studied so far.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Retroviral Agents; CCR5 Receptor Antagonists; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cyclohexanes; Darunavir; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; Drug Interactions; HIV Infections; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Maraviroc; Nitriles; Organic Chemicals; Protease Inhibitors; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Receptors, CCR5; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Sulfonamides; Triazoles

Etravirine/raltegravir dual therapy has been shown to be highly effective as a twice-daily (q12h) regimen in suppressed HIV-infected patients enrolled in the ANRS-163 study.. As a once-daily (q24h) regimen is easier for daily life, we aimed to evaluate the capacity of etravirine/raltegravir (400/800 mg) q24h to maintain viral suppression in patients on etravirine/raltegravir q12h.. Patients on a suppressive etravirine/raltegravir q12h regimen for at least 96 weeks were switched to etravirine/raltegravir q24h in this prospective, multicentre, open-label, single-arm study. Primary outcome was the rate of virological failure (VF: confirmed pVL >50 copies/mL, single pVL >400 copies/mL or single pVL >50 copies/mL with ART change) at Week 48 (W48). Secondary outcomes included treatment strategy success rate (no VF and no treatment discontinuation), regimen tolerability, plasma drug concentrations and resistance profile in the case of VF.. A total of 111 patients were enrolled, with a median (IQR) age of 57 years (52-62), CD4 count of 710 cells/mm3 (501-919) and viral suppression for 7.9 years (5.9-10.7). Two patients experienced viral rebound at W24 and W48, leading to a VF rate of 2.0% (95% CI 0.5-7.8) at W48, associated with INSTI resistance in one case. Both had past NNRTI mutations. Ten patients discontinued treatment for adverse events (n = 2), investigator or patient decisions (n = 3), lost to follow-up (n = 3), death (n = 1) or pregnancy (n = 1). Overall, the strategy success rate was 89% (95% CI 81.5-93.6) at W48. In a subgroup of 64 patients, median (IQR) plasma C24h concentrations were 401 ng/mL (280-603) for etravirine and 62 ng/mL (31-140) for raltegravir.. Switching patients virally suppressed on etravirine/raltegravir q12h to the same regimen but given q24h was highly effective in maintaining virological suppression in HIV-infected patients.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Prospective Studies; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load

The ANRS-163 ETRAL trial, a switch study to an etravirine 200 mg/raltegravir 400 mg twice-daily regimen in 165 patients with HIV-1 infection, showed durable efficacy until Week 96. The aim of this work was to investigate in detail the virological rebounds (VRs), defined as at least one plasma HIV viral load (VL) >50 copies/mL.. Quantification of HIV-DNA level was assessed at baseline, Week 48 and Week 96 (n = 157). VLs were measured in seminal plasma at Week 48 (n = 26). Genotypic resistance testing by ultra-deep sequencing (UDS) for reverse transcriptase (RT) and integrase regions was performed at baseline and at the time of VR.. In this study, 19 patients experienced VR, with 2 patients having virological failure (VF; two consecutive VLs >50 copies/mL). For the first patient with VF, UDS detected minority resistant variants only in RT (K103N, 9.6%; Y181C, 4.9%) at baseline. Some RT variants became dominant at VF (K101E, 86.3%; Y181C, 100.0%; G190A, 100.0%) and others emerged in integrase (Y143C, 2.4%; Q148R, 6.2%; N155H, 18.8%). For the second patient with VF, neither RT nor integrase mutations were detected at baseline and VF. Median HIV-DNA level was similar at baseline, Week 48 and Week 96 (2.17, 2.06 and 2.11 log10 copies/106 cells, respectively). Only one patient had a detectable seminal HIV VL (505 copies/mL).. The dual etravirine/raltegravir regimen as maintenance therapy was effective and the emergence of mutations in cases of VF was similar to that seen in other dual-regimen studies. No HIV-DNA level modification was evidenced by Week 96.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Drug Resistance, Viral; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Viral Load

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) management is challenging for individuals in resource-limited settings presenting for third-line treatment because of complex resistance patterns, partly due to reduced access to viral load monitoring. We aimed to evaluate use of newer antiretroviral drugs and contemporary management approaches, including population-based sequencing, to select appropriate antiretrovirals, plasma viral load monitoring, and interventions to improve adherence in individuals presenting with second-line viral failure.. A5288 was a phase 4, third-line ART strategy study done at 19 urban sites in ten countries that enrolled adult participants with confirmed plasma HIV-1 RNA (viral load) of 1000 copies per mL or more after more than 24 weeks of protease inhibitor-based second-line ART. The primary objective was to use antiretrovirals (raltegravir, etravirine, and ritonavir-boosted darunavir) and diagnostic monitoring technologies, including viral load, genotyping, and adherence support to achieve viral load suppression (defined as ≤200 copies per mL) in 65% or more of participants. ART history and real-time drug resistance genotypes were used to assign participants to one of four cohorts: cohort A (no lopinavir resistance) stayed on second-line ART and cohorts B (B1, best available nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors [NRTIs] plus ritonavir-boosted darunavir plus raltegravir; B2, ritonavir-boosted darunavir plus raltegravir plus etravirine; B3, ritonavir-boosted darunavir, raltegravir, and either tenofovir plus emtricitabine or tenofovir plus lamivudine), C (ritonavir-boosted darunavir plus raltegravir plus tenofovir-emtricitabine or tenofovir plus lamivudine), and D (best available NRTIs plus ritonavir-boosted darunavir plus raltegravir) were defined by increasing levels of resistance and received appropriate regimens, including new antiretrovirals. Participants in Cohort B without detectable hepatitis B surface antigen were assigned by blocked randomisation to cohorts B1 and B2, and those with detectable hepatitis B surface antigen were assigned to cohort B3. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01641367.. From Jan 10, 2013, to Sept 10, 2015, 545 participants were enrolled. 287 (53%) were assigned to cohort A, 74 (14%) to B1, 72 (13%) to B2, eight (1%) to B3, 70 (13%) to C, and 34 (6%) to D. Overall, 349 (64%, 95% CI 60-68) participants achieved viral suppression at week 48, with proportions varying from 125 (44%) of 287 in cohort A to 65 (88%) of 74 in cohort B1, 63 (88%) of 72 in B2, eight (100%) of eight in B3, 63 (90%) of 70 in C, and 25 (74%) of 34 in D. Participants in cohort A remained on their second-line protease inhibitor, and had the most participants with grade 3 or higher adverse events (147 [51%]).. Targeted real-time genotyping to select third-line ART can appropriately allocate more costly antiretrovirals to those with greater levels of HIV drug resistance.. National Institutes of Health.

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Cohort Studies; Darunavir; Developing Countries; Drug Resistance, Viral; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; HIV Infections; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Lopinavir; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Prospective Studies; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Ritonavir; Tenofovir; Viral Load

Regimen selection for highly treatment-experienced patients is complicated.. Using a web-based utility, study team members reviewed antiretroviral (ARV) history and resistance data and recommended individual ARV regimens and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) options for treatment-experienced participants consisting of 3-4 of the following agents: raltegravir (RAL), darunavir (DRV)/ritonavir, tipranavir (TPV)/ritonavir, etravirine (ETR), maraviroc (MVC), and enfuvirtide (ENF). We evaluated team recommendations and site selection of regimen and NRTIs. Associations between baseline factors and the selection of a complex regimen (defined as including four ARV agents or ENF) were explored with logistic regression.. A total of 413 participants entered the study. Participants initiated the first or second recommended regimen 86% of the time and 21% of participants started a complex regimen. In a multivariable model, ARV resistance to NRTI (odds ratio [OR] = 2.2), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI, OR = 6.2) or boosted protease inhibitor (PI, OR = 6.6), prior use of integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI, OR = 25), and race-ethnicity (all P ≤ 0.01) were associated with selection of a complex regimen. Black non-Hispanic (OR = 0.5) and Hispanic participants from the continental US (OR = 0.2) were less likely to start a complex regimen, compared to white non-Hispanics.. In this multi-center trial, we developed a web-based utility that facilitated treatment recommendations for highly treatment-experienced patients. Drug resistance, prior INSTI use, and race-ethnicity were key factors in decisions to select a more complex regimen.

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Anti-Retroviral Agents; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Viral; Enfuvirtide; Female; HIV Envelope Protein gp41; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Peptide Fragments; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Ritonavir; Salvage Therapy

Aim of this study was to report the 204-week efficacy and safety results of a novel PI- and NRTI-sparing regimen for salvage therapy including maraviroc, raltegravir, etravirine in 28 failing HIV-infected patients with R5-tropic virus. The trend of laboratory parameters was tested by ANOVA for repeated measures and Greenhouse-Geisser probabilities were reported. Results were described as median (Q1-Q3) values. Twenty-six (93%) out of 28 patients completed 204 weeks of treatment. Virological success (HIV-RNA<50 copies/mL) at week 204 was 96%. CD4+ counts significantly increased [244 (158-213) cells/mm3, p<0.0001] from baseline [247 (68-355) cells/mm(3)] as well as CD4+ percentage. Four serious adverse events (1 death due to Hodgkins's lymphoma, 1 anal cancer, 1 Hodgkins's lymphoma, 1 recurrence of mycobacterial spondylodiscitis) were observed; three events led to transitory discontinuation of the antiretroviral therapy due to drug-drug interaction. BMI (p<0.0001) and waist circumference (p<0.0001) significantly increased over 204 weeks. An amelioration was also observed in relation to haemoglobin (p=0.0006), platelets (p<0.0001), white blood cell (p=0.013), neutrophils (p=0.301), lymphocytes (p=0.207) and creatinine (p<0.0001). In highly treatment-experienced patients the maraviroc, raltegravir and etravirine combination is associated with a good long-term efficacy and safety profile.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Blood Cell Count; Cyclohexanes; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Follow-Up Studies; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Maraviroc; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Treatment Outcome; Triazoles

Abstract The influence of efavirenz, etravirine, raltegravir, and nevirapine administration on the pharmacokinetics of ritonavir-boosted darunavir was investigated using population pharmacokinetics analysis. The population was composed of 142 patients infected with HIV: darunavir plus nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI), 54 patients (group A); darunavir plus efavirenz±NRTI, 4 patients (group B); darunavir plus etravirine±NRTI, 5 patients (group C); darunavir plus nevirapine±NRTI, 21 patients (group D); darunavir plus raltegravir±NRTI, 38 patients (group E); and darunavir plus raltegravir and etravirine±NRTI, 20 patients (group F). A significant increase in darunavir clearance in combination with nevirapine (+66%) and efavirenz (+235%) was observed. A significant decrease (p<0.05) in trough plasma concentration was observed in groups B and D compared with the other groups. Our study indicates that the combination of ritonavir-boosted darunavir and etravirine or raltegravir has no significant influence on the pharmacokinetics of darunavir in contrast to the combination of ritonavir-boosted darunavir and nevirapine or efavirenz, which involves an increase in darunavir clearance and a decrease in the plasma concentration of darunavir.

Topics: Adult; Alkynes; Anti-HIV Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Benzoxazines; Cyclopropanes; Darunavir; Drug Synergism; Female; HIV Infections; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Male; Nevirapine; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; Sulfonamides

In the ANRS 139 TRIO trial, the use of 3 new active drugs (raltegravir, etravirine, and darunavir/ritonavir), resulted in a potent and sustained inhibition of viral replication in multidrug-resistant treatment-experienced patients. The aim of this virological sub-study of the ANRS 139 TRIO trial was to assess: (i) the evolution of HIV-1 DNA over the first year; and (ii) the association between baseline HIV-1 DNA and virological outcome.. Among the 103 HIV-1-infected patients included in the ANRS-139 TRIO trial, HIV-1 DNA specimens were available for 92, 84, 88, and 83 patients at Week (W)0, W12, W24, and W48, respectively. Quantification of total HIV-1 DNA was performed by using the commercial kit "Generic HIV DNA Cell" (Biocentric, Bandol, France).. Baseline median HIV-1 DNA of patients displaying virological success (n= 61), viral blip (n= 20), and virological failure (n = 11) were 2.34 log(10) copies/10(6) PBMC (IQR= 2.15-2.66), 2.42 (IQR = 2.12-2.48), and 2.68 (IQR= 2.46-2.83), respectively. Although not statistically significant, patients exhibiting virological success or viral blip had a tendency to display lower baseline HIV-1 DNA than patients experiencing virological failure (P = 0.06). Median decrease of HIV-1 DNA between baseline and W48 was -0.13 log(10) copies/10(6) PBMC (IQR = -0.34 to +0.10), mainly explained by the evolution from W0 to W4. No more changes were observed in the W4-W48 period.. In highly-experienced multidrug-resistant patients, HIV-1 DNA slightly decreased during the first month and then remained stable during the first year of highly potent antiretroviral regimen. In this population, baseline HIV-1 DNA might help to better predict the virological response and to tailor clinical therapeutic management as more aggressive therapeutic choices in patients with higher baseline HIV-1 DNA.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Darunavir; DNA, Viral; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Sulfonamides

To examine immune restoration in duodenal tissue and correlates of reduction of immune activation in chronic HIV-infected patients randomized to different treatment regimens.. Randomized clinical trial (RCT) comparing raltegravir to a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-based regimen, both with fixed-dose tenofovir difumerate/emtricitabine.. Antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive volunteers underwent upper endoscopy for duodenal biopsies before and after 9 months of therapy. Tissue was paraffin-embedded for immunohistochemistry or digested into single-cell suspensions for flow cytometry of lymphocyte subsets and activation phenotype. Plasma-soluble CD14 levels were measured as a surrogate for bacterial translocation.. Sixteen HIV-positive and seven control individuals completed study procedures. Small increases in duodenal lamina propria CD4 T-cell numbers were observed, especially when viewed relative to populations in control volunteers, with no differences between treatment arms. The increase in CD4 T-cell percentage was due largely to declines in CD8 T-cell numbers, which were disproportionately increased compared to peripheral blood and controls. Patients randomized to the raltegravir arm had consistent declines in both sCD14 levels and CD8 T-cell numbers in the duodenal tissue lamina propria.. This first RCT of lymphocyte population restoration in duodenal tissue demonstrates more modest increases in CD4 T-cell numbers during the first 9 months of therapy than when considering CD3/CD4 percentages only. Although reduced after 9 months of ART, disproportional increased CD8 populations persist in duodenal gastrointestinal-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Local rather than systemic antigenic stimulation appears to be driving expanded CD8 T lymphocytes in GALT. Factors other than viral-induced CD8 expansion may be contributing to this local immunologic response.

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Anti-HIV Agents; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; Drug Therapy, Combination; Endoscopy; Female; Gastrointestinal Tract; Humans; Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome; Immunohistochemistry; Lymphocyte Activation; Lymphoid Tissue; Male; Nevirapine; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; RNA, Viral; Viral Load

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Cyclohexanes; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Maraviroc; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; RNA, Viral; Salvage Therapy; Treatment Outcome; Triazoles; Viral Load

Topics: Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Cohort Studies; Darunavir; Drug Administration Schedule; Female; HIV; HIV Infections; Humans; Immunosuppression Therapy; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Ritonavir; RNA, Viral; Sulfonamides; Treatment Outcome

Etravirine, a nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, was provided through an international early access program (EAP) prior to regulatory approval.. The Phase III, nonrandomized, open-label EAP investigated etravirine 200 mg twice daily plus a background regimen (BR) in patients who had failed multiple antiretroviral regimens. Efficacy and safety are reported for HIV-infected adults from the United States through week 48, including subgroups receiving etravirine +/- darunavir/ritonavir and/or raltegravir.. The intent-to-treat population included 2578 patients; 62.4% and 56.7% of patients received darunavir/ritonavir and raltegravir, respectively, in their BR. At week 48, 62.3% of patients achieved viral loads <75 copies per milliliter; responses across subgroups were similar. Median CD4 count increase from baseline was >100 cells per cubic millimeter. No unexpected safety concerns emerged; serious AEs and deaths due to AEs, considered possibly related to etravirine, occurred in 2.0% and 0.3% of patients, respectively. Discontinuations due to AEs were low overall (4.4%) and comparable across subgroups.. Etravirine combined with a BR, often including other new antiretrovirals, such as darunavir/ritonavir and/or raltegravir, provided an effective treatment option in treatment-experienced patients with HIV-1.

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Darunavir; Female; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; Sulfonamides; United States; Viral Load

The introduction of 2 or 3 fully active drugs in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients receiving failing antiretroviral therapy is a key determinant of subsequent treatment efficacy. The aim of this study was to assess the safety and efficacy of a regimen containing raltegravir, etravirine, and darunavir/ritonavir for treatment-experienced patients infected with multidrug-resistant HIV.. Patients enrolled in this phase II, noncomparative, multicenter trial were naive to the investigational drugs and had plasma HIV RNA levels >1000 copies/mL, a history of virologic failure while receiving nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI), > or =3 primary protease inhibitor and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) mutations, and < or =3 darunavir and NNRTI mutations. The primary end point was the proportion of patients with plasma HIV RNA levels <50 copies/mL at 24 weeks.. A total of 103 patients enrolled in the study. At baseline, genotypic resistance profiles showed a median of 4 primary protease inhibitor mutations, 1 NNRTI mutation, and 6 NRTI mutations. In addition to the investigational drugs, 90 patients (87%) received optimized background therapy that included NRTIs (86 patients) or enfuvirtide (12 patients). At week 24, 90% of patients (95% confidence interval, 85%-96%) had an HIV RNA level <50 copies/mL. At week 48, 86% (95% confidence interval, 80%-93%) had an HIV RNA level <50 copies/mL. The median CD4 cell count increase was 108 cells/mm(3). Grade 3 or 4 clinical adverse events were reported in 15 patients (14.6%). Only 1 patient discontinued the investigational antiretroviral regimen, because of an adverse event.. In patients infected with multidrug-resistant virus who have few remaining treatment options, the combination of raltegravir, etravirine, and darunavir/ritonavir is well tolerated and is associated with a rate of virologic suppression similar to that expected in treatment-naive patients.

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; Sulfonamides; Treatment Outcome

Etravirine, a next-generation nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, and raltegravir, an integrase strand transfer inhibitor, have separately demonstrated potent activity in treatment-experienced, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. An open-label, sequential, three-period study with healthy, HIV-seronegative subjects was conducted to assess the two-way interaction between etravirine and raltegravir for potential coadministration to HIV-infected patients. In period 1, 19 subjects were administered 400 mg raltegravir every 12 h (q12 h) for 4 days, followed by a 4-day washout; in period 2, subjects were administered 200 mg etravirine q12 h for 8 days; and in period 3, subjects were coadministered 400 mg raltegravir and 200 mg etravirine q12 h for 4 days. There was no washout between periods 2 and 3. Doses were administered with a moderate-fat meal. Etravirine had only modest effects on the pharmacokinetics of raltegravir, while raltegravir had no clinically meaningful effect on the pharmacokinetics of etravirine. For raltegravir coadministered with etravirine relative to raltegravir alone, the geometric mean ratio (GMR) and 90% confidence interval (CI) were 0.90 and 0.68 to 1.18, respectively, for the area under the concentration curve from 0 to 12 h (AUC(0-12)), 0.89 and 0.68 to 1.15, respectively, for the maximum concentration of drug in serum (C(max)), and 0.66 and 0.34 to 1.26, respectively, for the trough drug concentration (C(12)); the GMR (90% CI) for etravirine coadministered with raltegravir relative to etravirine alone was 1.10 (1.03, 1.16) for AUC(0-12), 1.04 (0.97, 1.12) for C(max), and 1.17 (1.10, 1.26) for C(12). All drug-related adverse clinical experiences were mild and generally transient in nature. No grade 3 or 4 adverse experiences or discontinuations due to adverse experiences occurred. Coadministration of etravirine and raltegravir was generally well tolerated; the data suggest that no dose adjustment for either drug is necessary.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Drug Interactions; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; HIV Seronegativity; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

To assess the efficacy of raltegravir, etravirine and darunavir/ritonavir (TRIO regimen) in treatment-experienced patients with human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infection by describing the proportion of patients who experienced virological failure (VF) at Week 24. The secondary objectives were to assess the HIV-1 plasma viral load (pVL) after Week 24, the proportion of patients who were receiving dual therapy or monotherapy at the last visit, and the number of deaths.. Patients from the ANRS CO3 Aquitaine Cohort who were prescribed the TRIO regimen between February 2007 and September 2018 were classified into two groups based on their pVL at study inclusion: the virological failure group (VFG; pVL >50 copies/mL) and the virologically suppressed group (VSG; pVL <50 copies/mL). The impact of baseline pVL and genotypic susceptibility score (GSS) on VF was analysed.. In total, 184 patients were enrolled in this study, with 123 (66.8%) in the VFG and 61 (33.2%) in the VSG. The median length of follow-up was 7.5 (interquartile range 4.1-9.6) years, and 29 (15.8%) patients died. Thirty-seven (25.5%) patients experienced VF at Week 24, including 32/145 (32.7%) in the VFG and 5/47 (10.6%) in the VSG (P<0.01). Resistance-associated mutations were detected in integrase, reverse transcriptase and protease for 7/37 (18.9%), 3/37 (8.1%) and 1/37 (2.7%) patients, respectively. High pVL and GSS at baseline were independently associated with VF. At the last visit, 76/184 (41.3%) patients were still receiving the TRIO regimen, while 55/184 (29.9%) were receiving dual therapy and 1/184 (0.5%) was receiving protease inhibitor monotherapy. Among the 56 patients receiving dual therapy or monotherapy, 51 (96.2%) had pVL <50 copies/mL.. Despite a high level of mutation resistance at baseline, long-term virological follow-up was favourable and one-third of patients were eligible for drug-reducing strategies.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Viral; Follow-Up Studies; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load

Topics: Dideoxynucleosides; Female; Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; HIV Infections; Humans; Insulin; Lamivudine; Menopause; Nitriles; Oxazines; Piperazines; Pyridones; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Waist Circumference; Weight Gain

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; HIV Infections; Humans; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium

: Fat gain is reported in integrase strand transfer inhibitors exposed persons living with HIV. We investigated in 165 persons living with HIV (117 men/48 women), included in the 96-week ANRS-163-ETRAL trial and switched to raltegravir/etravirine, the impact of sex, menopausal status and ovarian reserve (detectable anti-Müllerian hormone). From baseline to 48/96 weeks, women with ovarian reserve were protected from raltegravir/etravirine-induced weight/fat gain and associated insulin-resistance while peri/postmenopausal women increased weight, fat and insulin resistance as did men. The functional ovarian status could protect against raltegravir/etravirine-induced weight gain.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Female; HIV Infections; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; Humans; Male; Nitriles; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; HIV Infections; Humans; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium

Outbreak of COVID-19 has been recognized as a global health concern since it causes high rates of morbidity and mortality. No specific antiviral drugs are available for the treatment of COVID-19 till date. Drug repurposing strategy helps to find out the drugs for COVID-19 treatment from existing FDA approved antiviral drugs. In this study, FDA approved small molecule antiviral drugs were repurposed against the major viral proteins of SARS-CoV-2.. The 3D structures of FDA approved small molecule antiviral drugs were retrieved from PubChem. Virtual screening was performed to find out the lead antiviral drug molecules against main protease (Mpro) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) using COVID-19 Docking Server. Furthermore, lead molecules were individually docked against protein targets using AutoDock 4.0.1 software and their drug-likeness and ADMET properties were evaluated.. Out of 65 FDA approved small molecule antiviral drugs screened, Raltegravir showed highest interaction energy value of -9 kcal/mol against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2 and Indinavir, Tipranavir, and Pibrentasvir exhibited a binding energy value of ≥-8 kcal/mol. Similarly Indinavir showed the highest binding energy of -11.5 kcal/mol against the target protein RdRp and Dolutegravir, Elbasvir, Tipranavir, Taltegravir, Grazoprevir, Daclatasvir, Glecaprevir, Ledipasvir, Pibrentasvir and Velpatasvir showed a binding energy value in range from -8 to -11.2 kcal/mol. The antiviral drugs Raltegravir, Indinavir, Tipranavir, Dolutegravir, and Etravirine also exhibited good bioavailability and drug-likeness properties.. This study suggests that the screened small molecule antiviral drugs Raltegravir, Indinavir, Tipranavir, Dolutegravir, and Etravirine could serve as potential drugs for the treatment of COVID-19 with further validation studies.

Topics: Antiviral Agents; Coronavirus Protease Inhibitors; COVID-19 Drug Treatment; Drug Repositioning; Heterocyclic Compounds, 3-Ring; Humans; Indinavir; Molecular Docking Simulation; Nitriles; Oxazines; Piperazines; Pyridines; Pyridones; Pyrimidines; Pyrones; Raltegravir Potassium; RNA-Dependent RNA Polymerase; SARS-CoV-2; Sulfonamides

Dual therapy combining integrase inhibitors and NNRTIs represents a promising regimen in ageing HIV-infected individuals with long exposure to nucleoside analogues and PIs.. The ANRS 163 ETRAL trial (NCT02212379) was a 96 week, multicentre, single-arm study evaluating the efficacy and safety of raltegravir (400 mg twice daily)/etravirine (200 mg twice daily) in individuals >45 years, on a PI-containing regimen who were integrase inhibitor and etravirine naive. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with virological success, defined by the absence of virological failure up to week 48. Main secondary outcomes included evolution of metabolic parameters, CD4/CD8 count, bone mineral density and inflammatory markers. The study was designed to show an efficacy >90%, assuming a success rate ≥95%, with a power of 80% and a 5% type-1 error.. One hundred and sixty-five participants (median age 52 years, duration of ART 16.9 years, viral suppression 6.9 years and CD4 count 700 cells/mm3) were enrolled. By ITT analysis, viral suppression was maintained in 99.4% of participants (95% CI = 95.6%-99.9%) at week 48 and 98.7% (95% CI = 95.0%-99.7%) at week 96. Two virological failures occurred (week 24 and week 64) without emergence of integrase inhibitor resistance. Eight participants discontinued raltegravir/etravirine for adverse events, leading to a strategy success rate of 95.1% (95% CI = 90.5%-97.5%) at week 48 and 92.7% (95% CI = 87.5%-95.8%) at week 96. Over 96 weeks, lipid fractions improved (P < 0.001), CD4/CD8 ratio increased, IFNγ-induced protein 10 (IP-10) decreased (-8.1%), soluble CD14 decreased (-27%, P < 0.001) bone mineral density improved and BMI increased.. Raltegravir plus etravirine dual therapy demonstrated durable efficacy in virologically suppressed ageing patients.

Topics: Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Biomarkers; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Female; HIV Infections; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Male; Medication Adherence; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Quality of Life; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load

Data are limited on the selection and sequencing of second-line and third-line pediatric antiretroviral treatment (ART) in resource-limited settings. This study aimed to evaluate characteristics of African pediatric patients initiated on darunavir (DRV) and/or etravirine (ETR) through a specific drug donation program.. This was a cross-sectional study of baseline immunologic, virologic and demographic characteristics of children and adolescents initiating DRV-based and/or ETR-based ART. Descriptive statistics were used.. Study enrolled 48 patients (45.8% women; median age = 15 years [interquartile range 17.7-10.3]) at 9 clinical sites in Zambia, Swaziland, Kenya and Lesotho. The majority (87.5%; n = 42) had received ≥2 prior ART regimens; most (81.2%) had received lopinavir/ritonavir-based ART before switch. All patients had detectable HIV RNA (median = 56,653 copies/mL). Forty seven patients (98.9%) had HIV genotype results: 41 (87.2%) had ≥1 nucleos(t)ide reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)-resistance mutation (RM), predominantly M184V (76.6%; n = 36); 31 (65.9%) had ≥1 non-NRTI-RM, including 27 (57.4%) with ≥1 ETR-RM; 30 (63.8%) had ≥3 protease inhibitor RM, including 20 (42.6%) with ≥1 DRV-RM. For new ART regimens, DRV and raltegravir were most frequently prescribed (83.3%; n = 40 on DRV and raltegravir, each). Eighteen patients (37.5%) were initiated on the NRTI-sparing ART.. In our study, a significant proportion of treatment-experienced African children and adolescents had one or more DRV-RM and ETR-RM. For the new regimen, more than a third of pediatric patients failing second-line ART were prescribed NRTI-sparing regimens. Better understanding of the current approaches to pediatric ART sequencing in resource-limited settings is needed.

Topics: Adolescent; Anti-Retroviral Agents; Child; Child, Preschool; Cross-Sectional Studies; Darunavir; Eswatini; Female; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Kenya; Lesotho; Lopinavir; Male; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; RNA, Viral; Viral Load; Young Adult; Zambia

The importance of an early reduction of HIV-1 RNA as a marker for positive longer term outcome is still under debate. We investigate whether antiretroviral-experienced patients receiving raltegravir plus etravirine have a higher early reduction of HIV-1 RNA compared with patients receiving raltegravir.. An observational study of treatment-experienced patients.. The objective is to investigate 349 patients included in a raltegravir resistance study. The early outcome is defined as a reduction of HIV-1 RNA at week 8. The crude method defines all measurements below the limit of quantification to be equal to the limit of quantification provides biased estimates. Such a reduction is censored by the limit of quantification and is subject to selection bias in observational studies.. The crude method showed a significant higher reduction in HIV-1 RNA reduction in patients receiving raltegravir plus etravirine compared with patients receiving raltegravir (mean reduction of 2.1 versus 1.8 log10 copies/mL). However, survival methods adjusted for both censoring, due to the limit of quantification, and confounding factors lead to a nonsignificant difference between the 2 treatment groups (mean reduction of 2.8 versus 2.7 log10 copies/mL).. Taking into account censoring and confounding factors, our study did not demonstrate a higher early reduction of HIV-1 RNA in patients receiving raltegravir with versus without etravirine.

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Female; France; Gene Expression Regulation, Viral; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Propensity Score; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; RNA, Viral; Viral Load

Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI)- and protease inhibitor (PI)-sparing antiretroviral regimens may be useful in selected human immune deficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients with resistance or intolerance to these drug classes. This was an observational prospective study of patients on suppressive antiretroviral therapy containing two NRTIs plus one ritonavir-boosted PI who switched to a dual regimen containing raltegravir plus etravirine. Patients were required not to have prior virological failure to raltegravir and to have efficacy of etravirine shown through the genotypic resistance assay in case of prior non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) virological failure. As a whole, 38 patients were enrolled. The mean duration of current regimen was 4.3 years, and the reason for simplification was toxicity in 29 patients and resistance to NRTIs in 9 patients. After switching, the percentage of patients with HIV RNA <20 copies/ml at week 48 was 81.6% in the intent-to-treat-exposed analysis. The switch led to a significant reduction in the mean serum triglyceride levels (-81.2 mg/dl), in the mean total cholesterol levels (-44.3 mg/dl), and in the prevalence of tubular proteinuria (-30.2%), with a significant increase in the mean phosphoremia (+0.52 mg/dl) and in both mean lumbar and femoral neck bone mineral density (+6.5% and +4.7%, respectively). Two patients (5.2%) had virological failure due to suboptimal adherence, and five subjects (13.1%) discontinued treatment due to adverse events. In our study, simplification to the dual-therapy raltegravir plus etravirine was associated with a good efficacy and tolerability, in addition to a favorable effect on kidney, bone, and serum lipids.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Anti-HIV Agents; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Maintenance Chemotherapy; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Prospective Studies; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Treatment Outcome

Genotyping tests were developed to attenuate the impact of viral resistance. Information about the efficacy in genotype base antiretroviral therapy in children is rare and even more in low- and middle-income countries.. Sixteen children with antiretroviral therapy (ART) failure and triple-class drug-resistant viruses were included in this study. Protease and retrotranscriptase genotypes were available for all patients. Switch of ART regimen was guided by genotyping data. The primary end point was virological suppression (<50 copies/ml) and immunological improvement after 48 wk of treatment with the new ART regimen.. The median age of the patients was 14.5 y (interquartile range (IQR) 11-16.5). Median HIV-1 RNA viral load was 4.2 log10 (IQR: 3.4-4.8). The primary end point was found in 11 children (69%), and 13 children (81%) had an HIV-1 RNA viral load <200 copies/ml. Median (IQR) for the baseline CD4(+) cell count was 382 cells/μl (281-686 cells/μl), whereas after 48 wk of treatment with the new ART regimen, it was 640 cells/μl (361-936 cells/μl) (P < 0.001).. Darunavir/ritonavir, raltegravir, and etravirine were well tolerated in the present pediatric population. These drugs provide good options for children exposed to extensive ART. Regimens guided by genotyping data were effective for children who had ART failure and multidrug-resistant HIV-1 infection.

Topics: Adolescent; Anti-Retroviral Agents; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Child; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral; Female; Genotype; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Nitriles; Poverty; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Retrospective Studies; Ritonavir; RNA, Viral; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load

Etravirine (ETR), maraviroc (MVC) and raltegravir (RAL) are promising antiretroviral drugs being used in HIV treatment and may be interesting for prevention applications such as oral or topical pre-exposure prophylaxis. Here we describe a sensitive and accurate method for the simultaneous detection of ETR, MVC and RAL from pigtail macaque plasma, vaginal secretions, and vaginal tissue. This method is characterized by a straightforward precipitation extraction method, a limit of quantification <0.5ngmL(-1) for all three antiretrovirals bolstered by a corresponding internal standard for each drug analyte, and short run time. Quantification is performed using positive ion electrospray triple quadrupole mass spectrometry. This method was validated over clinically relevant ranges for the three ARV drugs in all three matrices: 0.1-100ngmL(-1) for ETR, 0.05-100ngmL(-1) for MVC and 1-100ngmL(-1) for RAL. Our method is accurate and precise, with measured mean inter-assay precision (%CV) and accuracy (% bias) of 5.08% and 1.96%, respectively, while the mean intra-assay precision and accuracy were 3.44% and 1.08%. The overall post-extraction recovery for ETR, MVC and RAL was >94% in all cases. We also show that extracted biological samples are stable after storage at room temperature or 4°C and after three freeze/thaw cycles. This is the first analytical method capable of quantifying ETR, MVC and RAL in biological matrices relevant for pre-clinical testing of oral or topical HIV prevention methods in pigtailed macaques.

Topics: Animals; Anti-HIV Agents; Bodily Secretions; Chromatography, Liquid; Cyclohexanes; Female; Limit of Detection; Linear Models; Macaca nemestrina; Maraviroc; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Reproducibility of Results; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Triazoles; Vagina

Analytical methodologies for antiretroviral (ARV) quantification are important in determining both systemic and localized drug concentrations. The CCR5-antagonist maraviroc (MVC), the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) etravirine (ETV) and rilpivirine (RPV), as well as the integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) raltegravir (RAL), have all been evaluated using both oral and non-oral dosing regimens, demonstrating a need for dynamic and sensitive bioanalytical tools for drug quantification in plasma and tissue.. Analytical methods were optimized for the multiplexed monitoring of ETV, MVC, RAL, and RPV in plasma and homogenized tissue lysate. The lower limits of quantification (LLOQs) for ETV, RAL, and RPV were 1ng/mL and the LLOQ for MVC was 0.1ng/mL in plasma; the LLOQs for all ARVs in homogenized tissue lysate was 0.05ng/sample. Standard curves were generated via weighted quadratic (plasma) or linear (tissue) regression of calibrators. Intra- and inter-assay precision and accuracy studies demonstrated %CVs≤15.93% and %DEVs ≤±13.52%, respectively. Stability and matrix effects studies, as well as external proficiency testing assessment, were also performed. All results were acceptable and in accordance with the guidelines recommended by the FDA, Guidance for Industry: Bioanalytical Method Validation document.. LC-MS/MS assays that are sensitive, specific, and dynamic have been developed and validated for the multiplexed quantification of ETV, MVC, RAL, and RPV in plasma and homogenized tissue lysate. The described methods meet sufficient throughput criteria to support large research trials.

Topics: Chromatography, Liquid; Cyclohexanes; Humans; Maraviroc; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Reproducibility of Results; Rilpivirine; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Triazoles

Novel combination antiretroviral regimens may be needed for selected HIV-infected patients with toxicity or resistance. We evaluated prospectively 25 virologically suppressed patients, largely pretreated (15.6 years on therapy) with antiretroviral drug toxicity (n=19) or interactions (n=9, mainly with chemotherapy against non-Hodgkin lymphoma or anti-HCV therapy), who switched to a dual therapy with etravirine (ETR) plus raltegravir (RAL). Patients were required not to have prior virological failure or resistance to both drugs. After a median follow up of 722 days (473-1088: 53.3 patients-year), there were no cases of transient virological replication or failure. Only 1 patient left therapy at day 10 due to a grade 2 rash, and therefore efficacy by intent-to-treat analysis was 96% at 48 weeks. There were no cases of liver toxicity grade 3-4, and total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) levels decrease significantly after initiation (TC, -17 mg/dl; p=0.01; TG, -42 mg/dl; p=0.01), as well as the TC/High density lipoprotein-cholesterol ratio (from 4.35 to 4.28). Geometric mean plasma trough level of RAL was 166 ng/ml (IQR, 40-249), well above the inhibitory concentration 90 (IC(90)). In conclusion, a novel dual therapy with ETR plus RAL is effective and well tolerated, and it could be an option to maintain durable viral suppression in hard-to-treat HIV-infected patients.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Anti-HIV Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Female; Follow-Up Studies; HIV; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Prospective Studies; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Viral Load

To assess the prevalence of minority resistant variants (MRVs) at baseline and their impact on the virological response. The ANRS 139 TRIO trial evaluated the combination of raltegravir, etravirine and darunavir, plus an optimized background therapy, in 87% of cases. Patients were highly experienced and harboured multiresistant viruses, but were naive to the three drugs, and showed a high level of virological suppression.. Ultra-deep sequencing of reverse transcriptase, protease and integrase regions was performed at the trial baseline, and sequences were interpreted according to the ANRS algorithm. MRVs were assessed using MiSeq and 454 technologies (limit of detection 1%).. At baseline, minority variants with at least one NRTI, one NNRTI, one PI, one major PI or an integrase inhibitor resistance-associated mutation were present in 46%, 45%, 68%, 24% and 13% of patients, respectively. When minority variants are taken into account, the prevalence of resistance to etravirine, darunavir and raltegravir at baseline was 29%, 40% and 9%, respectively. No difference was observed in the prevalence of MRVs between patients with virological failure and those with virological success, except a trend for patients exhibiting baseline etravirine MRVs (50% versus 26%, P = 0.09).. We have shown a high level of MRVs at baseline in highly pre-treated patients harbouring multiresistant viruses. However, these MRVs were not associated with an increased risk of virological failure, except for a trend for etravirine MRVs.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Viral; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing; HIV Infections; HIV Integrase; HIV Protease; HIV Reverse Transcriptase; HIV-1; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Mutation; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Raltegravir Potassium; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load

Clinical use of protease inhibitors (PIs) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) may be hampered by toxicity, interactions or resistance issues. Simple and effective antiretroviral regimens avoiding both drug classes may be needed for selected patients.. This was a prospective cohort study. Virologically suppressed patients on PI or NRTI regimens, with problems of tolerability, safety concerns due to comorbidities or risk of drug interactions for both PIs and NRTIs, were given the opportunity to switch their regimen to etravirine plus raltegravir. Patients were required not to have prior virological failure to raltegravir and if there was prior non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) virological failure, only patients in whom efficacy of etravirine could be anticipated through the Stanford Drug Resistance Database were included. Follow-up was scheduled for at least 48 weeks, unless the patient was lost to follow-up or discontinued therapy.. Twenty-five patients were included. Their median age was 54 years; they had a median of 16 years on antiretroviral therapy and a median of nine previous regimens; 21 (84%) patients had previous virological failure; and 15 (60%) patients had a genotypic test that showed three or more NRTI mutations in 9 (36%), four or more PI mutations in 11 (44%) and at least one NNRTI mutation in 8 (32%) patients. At 48 weeks efficacy was 84% (95% CI 65.3%-93.6%) by intent-to-treat analysis and 91.3% (95% CI 73.2%-97.6%) by per-protocol analysis. One (4%) patient died, two (8%) discontinued due to intolerance and one (4%) experienced virological failure. The CD4/CD8 ratio and plasma lipids improved.. Dual therapy with etravirine plus raltegravir was well tolerated and maintained durable viral suppression in selected virologically suppressed patients for whom both PI and NRTI therapy was challenging.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Cohort Studies; Drug-Related Side Effects and Adverse Reactions; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pilot Projects; Prospective Studies; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load

The International Interlaboratory Quality Control PROGRAM for Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Antiretroviral Drugs in Human Plasma/Serum was initiated in 1999. We have previously published our experience during the first 10 years of the PROGRAM. Since 2010, 3 newly developed antiretroviral agents have been added to the. darunavir, etravirine, and raltegravir. The objective of this analysis is to describe the performance of participating laboratories measuring these newer agents in 2011-2012.. Each year, laboratories received 2 blind samples of human plasma/serum spiked with a low (<1.0 mg/L), medium (1.0-5.0 mg/L), or high (>5.0 mg/L) concentration of these drugs. Laboratory results were standardized to percentages with reference to the nominal (true) concentration. Any result that deviated more than 20% of the nominal values was defined as inaccurate.. The numbers of laboratories that participated by the end of 2012 were 44 for darunavir, 28 for etravirine, and 30 for raltegravir. A total of 357 results were evaluable for analysis. Of these, 64 (17.9%) results were reported with >20% deviation, so "inaccurate" (7.6% too low, 10.4% too high). The proportion of inaccurate results in 2011 was 21.3% for darunavir, 31.0% for etravirine, and 26.3% for raltegravir; in 2012, these figures improved to 8.1%, 23.2%, and 8.3% for darunavir, etravirine, and raltegravir, respectively. Taking darunavir as the reference, performance for etravirine was significantly lower [odds ratio = 0.462, 95% confidence interval: 0.246-0.866, P = 0.016] and performance for raltegravir was not significantly different. Low concentrations were significantly more frequently reported as inaccurate than medium or high concentrations: 28.6% versus 10.6% versus 8.8%, respectively (P < 0.001). Laboratories that used Liquid Chromatography with tandem Mass Spectrometry did not perform better than those using High Performance Liquid Chromatography/Ultrarapid Performance Liquid Chromatography: 41 inaccurate results in 200 samples (20.5%) versus 23 in 157 samples (14.6%, P = 0.154). Multiple logistic regression revealed that the concentration range was the only significant predictor of inaccurate results. The lower range of concentrations performed worse than medium or high concentrations (P < 0.001).. Laboratories continue to have problems with adequately measuring low plasma concentrations of antiretroviral agents. This is particularly a problem for some of the newer antiretroviral agents with plasma concentrations in the <1.0 mg/L range, such as etravirine and raltegravir.

Topics: Anti-Retroviral Agents; Clinical Laboratory Services; Darunavir; Drug Monitoring; Humans; Internationality; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Quality Control; Raltegravir Potassium; Sulfonamides

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of antiretrovirals requires accurate and precise analysis of plasma drug concentrations. This work describes a simple, fast and sensitive UPLC-MS/MS method for determination of the commonly used protease inhibitors such as amprenavir, atazanavir, darunavir, indinavir, lopinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir and tipranavir, tenofovir a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI), the non-NRTI such as efavirenz, nevirapine, etravirine, the CCR5 antagonist maraviroc as well as the more recent antiretrovirals, the integrase inhibitors such as raltegravir, elvitegravir and the new direct acting anti-HCV boceprevir. Adapted deuterated internal standard was added to plasma aliquots (100μl) prior to protein precipitation with methanol and acetonitrile. This method employed ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry with electrospray ionization mode. All compounds eluted within 4.2-min run time. Calibration curves were validated, with correlation coefficients (r(2)) higher than 0.997, for analysis of therapeutic concentrations reported in the literature. Inter- and intra-assay variations were <15%. Evaluation of accuracy shows a deviation <15% from target concentration at each quality control level. No significant matrix effect was observed for any of the antiretroviral studied. This new validated method fulfills all criteria for TDM of 15 antiretrovirals and boceprevir drugs and was successfully applied in routine TDM of antiretrovirals.

Topics: Adenine; Anti-Retroviral Agents; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Cyclohexanes; Humans; Maraviroc; Mass Spectrometry; Nitriles; Organophosphonates; Proline; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Quinolones; Raltegravir Potassium; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Tenofovir; Time Factors; Triazoles

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Area Under Curve; Cyclohexanes; Darunavir; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Maraviroc; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Prospective Studies; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Semen; Sulfonamides; Triazoles

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Brain Edema; Darunavir; Diagnosis, Differential; Dideoxynucleosides; Emergencies; Female; Hepatitis C, Chronic; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Hypertension, Malignant; Hypertensive Encephalopathy; Leukoencephalopathy, Progressive Multifocal; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Nitriles; Posterior Leukoencephalopathy Syndrome; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; Sulfonamides; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Toxoplasmosis, Cerebral

Among 103 patients with multidrug-resistant HIV who initiated raltegravir, etravirine, and darunavir/ritonavir-containing regimen in the ANRS 139 TRIO trial, 100 participated in extended follow-up and continued study treatment until week 96. Among them, 87 (87%) received an optimized background therapy including either nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or enfuvirtide, they were 78 (78%) at week 96. At week 96, 88% achieved durable virologic response (<50 copies/mL). CD4 response was maintained (median change of +150 cells/mm(3)). No major toxicity was reported. This triple drug combination showed sustained efficacy and thus should be strongly considered for patients with multiclass-resistant virus.

Topics: Adult; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral; Female; Follow-Up Studies; HIV Infections; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; RNA, Viral; Sulfonamides

To determine whether the absorption of four antiretroviral agents-raltegravir, etravirine, emtricitabine, and tenofovir-is compromised when administered by gastrostomy tube.. Pharmacokinetic analysis.. University medical center.. A 52-year-old African-American man coinfected with advanced multidrug-resistant human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and chronic hepatitis B, who was receiving treatment with raltegravir, etravirine, emtricitabine, and tenofovir, and developed ulcerative esophagitis with perforation, requiring a gastrostomy tube.. Due to the patient's esophageal perforations, all nutrition and drug therapy had to be provided by gastrostomy tube. As his antiretroviral regimen of raltegravir, etravirine, and emtricitabine-tenofovir was not available in liquid or powder formulations, the oral tablets were crushed or dispersed and mixed with water, then administered by gastrostomy tube. To ensure that the absorption of the drugs was sufficient for antiretroviral response, plasma samples were collected at 2 hours and 12 hours after dosing, and drug concentrations were quantitated by using validated assays. The 2- and 12-hour postdose plasma concentrations were 1220 and 446 ng/ml for raltegravir, 212 and 274 ng/ml for etravirine, 1148 and 164 ng/ml for emtricitabine, and 320 and 94 ng/ml for tenofovir, respectively. The patient's plasma concentrations were then compared with those in published pharmacokinetic studies of oral regimens administered to HIV-infected persons and healthy volunteers. Overall, the plasma concentrations of the antiretrovirals administered by gastrostomy tube were similar to published values. No drug toxicities were observed in this patient.. These pharmacokinetic data suggest that absorption of raltegravir, etravirine, emtricitabine, and tenofovir was not compromised when the drugs were administered by gastrostomy tube. These findings provide a basis for further investigation of the pharmacokinetics, safety, tolerance, and antiretroviral response to raltegravir, etravirine, and emtricitabine-tenofovir when the oral route of administration is not possible.

Topics: Drug Interactions; Drug Resistance, Multiple; Drug Therapy, Combination; Gastrostomy; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium

Thirty-nine HIV-1-infected patients treated for 156 weeks with a new nucleoside analogue-sparing regimen [raltegravir, etravirine and maraviroc (REM) or raltegravir, etravirine and darunavir/ritonavir (RED)] showed a uniform increase in fasting glucose levels and a uniform decrease in insulin secretory capacity. Diabetes mellitus occurred in one RED-treated and four REM-treated patients. A worsening glucose tolerance was observed in highly treatment-experienced HIV-infected patients receiving effective antiretroviral therapy after virological failure.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Blood Glucose; Cyclohexanes; Darunavir; Fasting; Glucose Tolerance Test; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV Seropositivity; HIV-1; Humans; Insulin; Insulin Resistance; Maraviroc; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; Sulfonamides; Treatment Outcome; Triazoles; Viral Load

The combination of raltegravir (RAL) and etravirine (ETR) represents a novel antiretroviral treatment option in patients with toxicity or long-term exposure to standard therapies including protease inhibitors (PI) and nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTI). The objective of this study was to evaluate the capacity of dual RAL/ETR therapy to maintain virological suppression in HIV-1 patients under effective antiretroviral therapy (ART).. Using the Nadis database we retrospectively identified all patients in our centre who were switched from different ART regimens to ETR 200 mg twice daily plus RAL 400 mg twice daily prior to February 2010, having a suppressed HIV-1 plasma viral load (pVL<200 copies/ml) at the moment of switch. Patients already on RAL or ETR at baseline were not excluded from the study. Treatment failure was defined as two consecutive pVL>50 copies/ml or discontinuation of RAL/ETR for any reason.. A total of 18 patients were included. Median baseline characteristics were: age 48 years (IQR 45-56), duration of ART 14 years (IQR 13-16), duration of viral suppression 6 years (IQR 5-9), duration of NRTI exposure 11 years (IQR 8-14) and PI exposure 6 years (IQR 3-9). In intent-to-treat analysis, the efficacy at 6 months of follow-up was 94.4% (n=17/18, 95% CI 74.2, 99%) and 83.3% (n=15/18, 95% CI 60.7, 94.1%) at 12 months. In per-protocol analysis, the efficacy at 12 months was 100% (n=15/15, 95% CI 80.6, 100%). No tolerability-related treatment discontinuation was recorded.. This study, although on a limited number of patients, suggests that raltegravir plus etravirine represents a potential option of NRTI/PI-sparing strategy, deserving further investigation in randomized studies.

Topics: Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load

Drug-resistant virus infection has been a major hurdle in the management of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection. Recently, three novel antiretrovirals [raltegravir (RAL), etravirine (ETR), and darunavir (DRV)] were introduced into the market almost simultaneously, and salvage regimens containing these three antiretrovirals have been reported to exhibit strong potency against drug-resistant HIV-1 infection. However, the sustainability of such regimens remains unclear, particularly for patients infected with multidrug-resistant viruses. Here we report a case of super-multidrug-resistant HIV-1 infection which has been successfully controlled by novel combination therapy including RAL, ETR, and DRV for over 2 years, indicating that the novel combination could become an ultimate weapon against drug-resistant HIV infection and could alter the landscape of HIV salvage therapy.

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; RNA, Viral; Salvage Therapy; Sulfonamides; Viral Load

The effectiveness of etravirine has not been thoroughly investigated in routine clinical practice, where adherence rates and the heterogeneous nature of patients differ from the clinical trial setting. We evaluated the effectiveness of rescue regimens containing etravirine and the factors associated with treatment response. Multicenter retrospective cohort of all consecutive patients was recruited in a routine clinical practice setting. Patients were taking rescue regimens containing etravirine plus an optimized background regimen. The primary endpoint was the percentage of patients with HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/ml at week 48. The secondary endpoints were those factors associated with treatment response to etravirine. Endpoints were evaluated using univariate and multivariate analysis. A total of 122 patients were included with a median viral load of 11,938 (1055-55,500) copies/ml at baseline. The most frequent drugs in the backbone were darunavir/ritonavir in 98 (80.3%) patients and raltegravir in 76 (62.3%). In the full dataset analysis, 73% (89/122; 95% CI, 64-81%) of patients responded to treatment at week 48; in the on-treatment analysis, 82% (89/109; 95% CI, 71-87%) responded. The factors associated with treatment failure to etravirine [HR (95% CI)] were baseline CD4(+) T cell count <200 cells/mm(3) [2.45 (1.17-5.16)] and use of raltegravir [0.47 (0.22-0.99)] and darunavir [0.45 (0.21-0.98)] as backbone drugs. Skin rash was the only adverse event directly related to etravirine and led to withdrawal in three patients (2.5%). In routine clinical practice, rescue ETR-containing regimens are well tolerated and achieve rates of virological suppression higher than those observed in its pivotal clinical trials, especially when combined with darunavir and raltegravir.

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; CD4 Lymphocyte Count; Cohort Studies; Darunavir; Exanthema; Female; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Retrospective Studies; Ritonavir; RNA, Viral; Sulfonamides; Treatment Failure; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load

Topics: Darunavir; Drug Therapy, Combination; HIV Infections; HIV Protease Inhibitors; HIV-1; Humans; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; Sulfonamides

Measurement of drug levels in plasma is currently the gold standard for pharmacological studies. However, venous sampling is not feasible in some populations (e.g., neonates) or may be difficult in certain situations, such as nonhospital-based settings. Dried blood spots (DBS) can be obtained by a simple fingerprick and the subsequent collection of blood on a filter card, allowing patient-friendly sample collection in non-hospital-based settings. Despite these advantages, thus far no clinical evaluation has been performed for the use of DBS concentrations as surrogates for plasma levels. Our purpose was to clinically evaluate DBS sampling for the determination of plasma concentrations for the novel antiretroviral drugs etravirine, darunavir/ritonavir and raltegravir.. DBS concentrations were measured in 11 HIV-infected patients using LC-MS/MS. DBS concentrations were proportional to plasma concentrations. All drug concentrations were higher in DBS than in plasma samples. The plasma:DBS ratio and the respective relative standard error of estimate (RSE) of darunavir, etravirine, raltegravir and ritonavir were 0.632 (4.97% RSE), 0.523 (4.84% RSE), 0.617 (14.9% RSE) and 0.592 (2.99% RSE), respectively. Hematocrit did not explain variability in our study.. DBS are reproducibly correlated to plasma levels and can be used for monitoring antiretroviral drug exposure in HIV-infected patients.

Topics: Blood Specimen Collection; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Darunavir; HIV Infections; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Male; Mass Spectrometry; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Ritonavir; Sulfonamides

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Cyclohexanes; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Maraviroc; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Salvage Therapy; Triazoles

The pharmacokinetic interaction of etravirine and raltegravir is reviewed, with discussion of implications for clinical practice.. Etravirine (a second-generation nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor) and raltegravir (an integrase strand- transfer inhibitor) are two agents approved by the Federal Food and Drug Administration for use in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment-resistant patients. Minimal data exist on the concurrent use of raltegravir with etravirine. This combination would offer treatment-experienced HIV patients a novel pharmacotherapy plan including two new fully active agents. Etravirine induces uridine diphosphate- glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 and reduces the raltegravir minimum concentration (C(min)) by 34% when administered concurrently in healthy volunteers. In a case series of four HIV treatment-resistant patients initiated on an antiretroviral regimen including standard doses of etravirine and raltegravir, poor virological control was demonstrated. Two of these four patients had a raltegravir C(min) below the 95% minimum inhibitory concentration. In a larger study (n = 103), sustained virological control (viral loads of <50 copies/mL) resulted when HIV treatment-resistant patients received standard doses of darunavir, ritonavir, etravirine, raltegravir, and nucleoside analogs with or without enfuvirtide. Debate exists regarding the best raltegravir pharmacokinetic parameter to evaluate (C(min) or the area under the concentration curve/50% effective concentration). Recent data in HIV treatment-naive patients support a negative association between a low raltegravir C(min) (≤43 ng/mL) and virological suppression.. The need to adjust the dosage of raltegravir in HIV-infected patients who are also receiving etravirine is unclear. In such patients who have an extensive history of HIV disease treatment, prescribing raltegravir 1200 mg/day, rather than the standard 800 mg/day, may be prudent to prevent the development of treatment-resistant virus and to achieve an optimal virological response.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Area Under Curve; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Interactions; Drug Resistance, Viral; Drug Therapy, Combination; Glucuronosyltransferase; HIV Infections; HIV Integrase Inhibitors; Humans; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Viral Load

Although antiretroviral therapy during pregnancy is associated with significant reductions in the risk of vertical transmission of HIV, attainment of this outcome in highly treatment-experienced pregnant women might be complicated by the lack of active drugs available to assemble a potent regimen. The recent licensing and availability of darunavir, etravirine and raltegravir has broadened management options available for highly treatment-experienced patients. However, data on their safety and efficacy in preventing vertical transmission are limited.. A retrospective chart review of two cases describing obstetrical, infant and treatment outcomes associated with the use of regimens that include darunavir and etravirine with or without raltegravir during pregnancy was conducted.. We document two cases of pregnant HIV-positive women treated with antiretroviral therapy including darunavir, etravirine and raltegravir. Vertical transmission was averted and no congenital anomalies were observed.. In the absence of human development toxicity data for these agents, these cases provide preliminary anecdotal data on their safety during pregnancy. Although the outcomes of these cases are reassuring, additional studies and registries are required to establish the safety and efficacy of these agents during pregnancy.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Darunavir; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; HIV Infections; Humans; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; Nitriles; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Complications, Infectious; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Sulfonamides; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult

Topics: Cerebellar Ataxia; Female; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Middle Aged; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Treatment Outcome

Abstract The activity of raltegravir and etravirine was assessed in vitro in HIV-1 group O isolates. Despite the presence of some natural polymorphisms associated with resistance to raltegravir (V72I, L74I, S153A, V201I, and T206S) and etravirine (G190A), both drugs showed significant antiviral activity. Subsequently, the clinical benefit was shown in an HIV-1 group O-infected individual in whom enfuvirtide was replaced by raltegravir. Therefore, individuals infected with HIV-1 group O might benefit from raltegravir and/or etravirine therapy.

Topics: Amino Acid Substitution; Anti-HIV Agents; Drug Resistance, Viral; Female; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Middle Aged; Mutation, Missense; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; RNA, Viral; Viral Load

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Drug Interactions; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Viral Load

Twelve heavily pretreated, perinatally infected adolescents in virological failure were treated with a combination of raltegravir, r-darunavir and etravirine, as part of an expanded access program in France. After a 12-month median follow-up, viral load was <400 copies/ml in 11 (<50 in six). No grade > 2 side effects were recorded. Additional data and marketing authorizations are awaited, but preliminary results in adolescents with extensive multidrug resistant virus are encouraging.

Topics: Adolescent; Anti-HIV Agents; Anti-Retroviral Agents; Darunavir; Drug Resistance, Multiple, Viral; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; France; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Sulfonamides; Treatment Outcome; Viral Load

Raltegravir is the first human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) integrase inhibitor used in treatment-experienced patients who have evidence of viral replication and HIV-1 strains resistance to multiple antiretroviral regimens. Etravirine is a novel NNRTI, active against HIV-1 strains harboring multiple NNRTI mutations. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method was developed for the quantification of raltegravir, etravirine, and 9 other antiretroviral agents (amprenavir, atazanavir, darunavir, efavirenz, indinavir, lopinavir, ritonavir, saquinavir, and tipranavir) in plasma at the concentrations associated with therapy.. The ritonavir analog, methyl indinavir, and lopinavir-d8 were used as internal standards, added to 100 microL of plasma sample prior to a protein precipitation using methanol. Chromatographic separation was achieved on a C18 HPLC column (Waters Sunfire 100 x 2.1 mm, 3.5 microm) with a mobile phase gradient at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. Five microL of sample were injected into the LC-MS/MS system (Waters Quattro Premier XE) to determine concentrations of raltegravir, etravirine, and other antiretroviral agents.. This method showed an excellent linearity for all calibration curves (r2 > 0.998). The lower limit of quantification was established at 5 ng/mL for raltegravir and 40 ng/mL for etravirine, with precision and accuracy within +/-20% and 80% to 120% for all analytes. Intraassay and interassay precision and inaccuracy ranged from -9.2% to 6.9% for raltegravir and from -14.3% to 12.3% for etravirine and were less than 15% for all other compounds. No matrix effect was observed for any of the antiretrovirals studied.. A rapid, specific, and sensitive LC-MS/MS method for quantification of raltegravir, etravirine, and 9 other antiretrovirals in human plasma was developed and was successfully applied for routine therapeutic drug monitoring.

Topics: Analytic Sample Preparation Methods; Anti-HIV Agents; Calibration; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Drug Monitoring; HIV Protease Inhibitors; Humans; Limit of Detection; Microchemistry; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Reproducibility of Results; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; Tandem Mass Spectrometry; Time Factors

A new method using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photo diode array detection was developed and validated for the quantification of plasma concentrations of the human immunodeficiency syndrome integrase inhibitor raltegravir (RGV), the new nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor etravirine (ETV), and 11 other antiretroviral agents: ritonavir, atazanavir, lopinavir, nevirapine, efavirenz, saquinavir, indinavir, nelfinavir, and its metabolite M-8, amprenavir, and darunavir. A simple solid phase extraction procedure was applied to 500 microL aliquots of plasma, and chromatographic separation of the drugs and internal standard (quinoxaline) was achieved with a gradient (acetonitrile and phosphate buffer) on an C-18 reverse-phase analytical column with a 28-minute analytical run time. Calibration curves were optimized according to expected ranges of drug concentrations in patients, and the coefficient of determination (r) was higher than 0.998 for all analytes. Mean intraday and interday precisions (percent relative SD) for all compounds were 3.67% and 6.39%, respectively, and mean accuracy (percent deviation from nominal concentration) was -1.17%. Extraction recovery ranged within 75% and 83% for all drugs analyzed. The solid phase extraction and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photo diode array method described allow a specific, sensitive, and reliable simultaneous determination of RGV, ETV, and 11 antiretroviral agents in plasma by a single assay. Good extraction efficiency and low limit of quantification make this a suitable method for use in clinical trials and for therapeutic drug monitoring of RGV, protease inhibitors, and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, including ETV.

Topics: Anti-Retroviral Agents; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; Drug Therapy, Combination; HIV Infections; Humans; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Sensitivity and Specificity

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Darunavir; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Nitriles; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Salvage Therapy; Sulfonamides; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Adult; Anti-HIV Agents; Drug Therapy, Combination; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Male; Nitriles; Organic Chemicals; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; Salvage Therapy; Treatment Outcome

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Contraindications; Cyclohexanes; Darunavir; Drug Monitoring; HIV Infections; Humans; Maraviroc; Nitriles; Organic Chemicals; Patient Education as Topic; Patient Selection; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Sulfonamides; Triazoles

Topics: Acyclovir; Anti-HIV Agents; Circumcision, Male; Cyclohexanes; Dideoxynucleosides; Drug Interactions; Female; Hepatitis C; HIV Fusion Inhibitors; HIV Infections; Humans; Male; Maraviroc; Multicenter Studies as Topic; Nitriles; Organic Chemicals; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; Triazoles

Topics: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; Anti-HIV Agents; Anti-Infective Agents; CCR5 Receptor Antagonists; CD4 Antigens; Clinical Trials as Topic; Humans; Nitriles; Organic Chemicals; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium

The XVI International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2006), organized by the International AIDS Society (IAS), took place August 12-18 in Toronto, Canada. It was attended by over 26,000 participants from more than 170 countries and featured more than 4,500 abstracts as well as an array of community and cultural activities. The theme of the meeting was "Time to deliver", emphasizing the continued need and urgency in bringing effective HIV prevention and treatment strategies to those living with and affected by HIV/AIDS. The meeting's agenda was broad and included policy and programmatic topics as well as scientific research. This report focuses on reports presented at the conference that directly deal with antiretroviral therapy. This is primarily because of the nature of the venue where it is intended to be published (Drug News & Perspectives) as well as the expertise of the author. It is not a lack of recognition of the other equally important topics and discussions that took place at AIDS 2006. The author is solely responsible for the selection of topics and presentations to be included in this report.

Topics: Anti-HIV Agents; Anti-Retroviral Agents; Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Clinical Trials as Topic; Cyclohexanes; Darunavir; Drugs, Investigational; HIV Infections; HIV-1; Humans; Maraviroc; Nitriles; Organic Chemicals; Piperazines; Pyridazines; Pyrimidines; Pyrrolidinones; Raltegravir Potassium; Receptors, Chemokine; Sulfonamides; Treatment Outcome; Triazoles