Islatravir in combination with doravirine for treatment-naive adults with HIV-1 infection receiving initial treatment with islatravir, doravirine, and lamivudine: a phase 2b, randomised, double-blind, dose-ranging trial.

Islatravir is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitor in development for the treatment and prevention of HIV-1 infection. We aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of islatravir-based regimens for the treatment of HIV-1. We did a phase 2b, randomised, double-blind, comparator-controlled, dose-ranging trial at 24 clinics or hospitals in four countries (Chile, France, the UK, and the USA). Treatment-naive adults (≥18 years) with plasma HIV-1 RNA concentrations of at least 1000 copies per mL, CD4 T-cell counts of at least 200 cells per mL, and a calculated creatinine clearance of at least 50 mL/min (all within 60 days before study treatment) were eligible for inclusion. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1:1:1) with a block size of four via an interactive voice and web response system to receive oral treatment with one of three doses of islatravir (0·25 mg, 0·75 mg, or 2·25 mg) plus doravirine (100 mg) and lamivudine (300 mg) or to doravirine (100 mg) plus lamivudine (300 mg) plus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF; 300 mg) once daily with placebo (part 1). Treatment groups were stratified according to screening HIV-1 RNA concentration (≤100 000 copies per mL or >100 000 copies per mL). After at least 24 weeks of treatment, participants taking islatravir who achieved an HIV-1 RNA concentration lower than 50 copies per mL switched to a two-drug regimen of islatravir and doravirine (part 2). All participants and study investigators were masked to treatment in part 1; in part 2, the islatravir dose was masked to all participants and investigators, but the other drugs were given open label. The primary efficacy outcomes were the proportions of participants with an HIV-1 RNA concentration lower than 50 copies per mL at weeks 24 and 48 (US Food and Drug Administration snapshot approach). The primary safety outcomes were the number of participants experiencing adverse events and the number of participants discontinuing study drug owing to adverse events. All participants who received at least one dose of any study drug were included in the analyses. This trial is ongoing, but closed to enrolment of new participants; herein, we report study findings through 48 weeks of treatment. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03272347. Between Nov 27, 2017, and April 25, 2019, 121 participants (mean age 31 years [SD 10·9], 112 [93%] male, 92 [76%] white, 27 [22%] with HIV-1 RNA concentration >100 000 copies per mL) were randomly assigned: 29 to the 0·25 mg, 30 to the 0·75 mg, and 31 to the 2·25 mg islatravir groups, and 31 to the doravirine, lamivudine, and TDF group. At week 24, 26 (90%) of 29 participants in the 0·25 mg islatravir group, 30 (100%) of 30 in the 0·75 mg islatravir group, and 27 (87%) of 31 in the 2·25 mg islatravir group achieved HIV-1 RNA concentrations lower than 50 copies per mL compared with 27 (87%) of 31 in the doravirine plus lamivudine plus TDF group (difference 2·8%, 95% CI -14·9 to 20·4, for the 0·25 mg islatravir group; 12·9%, -1·6 to 27·5, for the 0·75 mg islatravir group; and 0·3%, -17·9 to 18·5, for the 2·25 mg islatravir group). At week 48, these data were 26 (90%) of 29 in the 0·25 mg islatravir group, 27 (90%) of 30 in the 0·75 mg islatravir group, and 24 (77%) of 31 in the 2·25 mg islatravir group compared with 26 (84%) of 31 in the doravirine plus lamivudine plus TDF group (difference 6·1%, 95% CI -12·4 to 24·4, for the 0·25 mg islatravir group; 6·2%, -12·2 to 24·6, for the 0·75 mg islatravir group; and -6·1%, -27·1 to 14·8, for the 2·75 mg islatravir group). 66 (73%) of participants in the islatravir groups combined and 24 (77%) of those in the doravirine plus lamivudine plus TDF group reported at least one adverse event. Two participants in the 2·25 mg islatravir group and one participant in the doravirine plus lamivudine plus TDF group discontinued owing to an adverse event. No deaths were reported up to week 48. Treatment regimens containing islatravir and doravirine showed antiviral efficacy and were well tolerated regardless of dose. Doravirine in combination with islatravir has the potential to be a potent two-drug regimen that warrants further clinical development. Merck, Sharp, & Dohme Corp, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.

Molina JM ，Yazdanpanah Y ，Afani Saud A ，Bettacchi C ，Chahin Anania C ，DeJesus E ，Olsen Klopfer S ，Grandhi A ，Eves K ，Robertson MN ，Correll T ，Hwang C ，Hanna GJ ，Sklar P ... -  《Lancet HIV》

Brief Report: Efficacy and Safety of Oral Islatravir Once Daily in Combination With Doravirine Through 96 Weeks for Treatment-Naive Adults With HIV-1 Infection Receiving Initial Treatment With Islatravir, Doravirine, and Lamivudine.

Islatravir (MK-8591) is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitor in development for treatment and prevention of HIV-1. We present efficacy and safety data for islatravir and doravirine (DOR) through 96 weeks of the phase 2b trial (NCT03272347). In this randomized, double-blind, dose-ranging trial, participants initially received islatravir (0.25, 0.75, or 2.25 mg) with doravirine (100 mg) and lamivudine (3TC, 300 mg) or a fixed-dose combination of doravirine, 3TC, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (DOR/3TC/TDF) daily. Beginning at week 24, participants receiving islatravir stopped 3TC if HIV-1 RNA from the prior visit was <50 copies per milliliter and continued taking the assigned islatravir dose (still blinded) with doravirine. All islatravir groups transitioned to open-label use of 0.75 mg between weeks 60 and 84. Efficacy end points at week 96 included the proportion of participants maintaining HIV-1 RNA of <50 copies per milliliter (FDA Snapshot). Safety was assessed by adverse event (AE) reporting. One hundred twenty-one treatment-naive participants received the study drugs and were included in the analyses. Through week 96, HIV-1 RNA<50 copies per milliliter was maintained in 86.2% (25/29), 90.0% (27/30), and 67.7% (21/31) of participants in the 0.25-, 0.75-, and 2.25-mg islatravir groups, respectively, 81.1% (73/90) of the combined islatravir group, and 80.6% (25/31) of the DOR/3TC/TDF group. One participant in the 2.25-mg islatravir group had Protocol-Defined Virologic Failure after week 48. Drug-related AE rates were higher for DOR/3TC/TDF participants (22.6%) compared with islatravir (combined 7.8%). Two participants (2.2%) receiving islatravir with doravirine and one (3.2%) receiving DOR/3TC/TDF discontinued because of an AE. Treatment regimens containing islatravir and doravirine maintained viral suppression through week 96 and were well tolerated regardless of dose.

Molina JM ，Yazdanpanah Y ，Afani Saud A ，Bettacchi C ，Chahin Anania C ，Klopfer SO ，Grandhi A ，Eves K ，Hepler D ，Robertson MN ，Hwang C ，Hanna GJ ，Correll T ... -  《-》

Switch to fixed-dose doravirine (100 mg) with islatravir (0·75 mg) once daily in virologically suppressed adults with HIV-1 on bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide: 48-week results of a phase 3, randomised, controlled, double-blind, non-i

Doravirine and islatravir is an investigational, once-daily regimen with high antiviral potency, favourable safety and tolerability, and a low propensity for resistance. We investigated a switch from bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide to doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg) in virologically suppressed adults with HIV-1. We conducted a phase 3, multicentre, randomised, active-controlled, double-blind, double-dummy, non-inferiority trial at 89 research, community, and hospital-based clinics in 11 countries. Adults aged 18 years or older with fewer than 50 HIV-1 RNA copies per mL for at least 3 months on bictegravir (50 mg), emtricitabine (200 mg), and tenofovir alafenamide (25 mg) and no history of previous virological failure on any past or current regimen were randomly assigned (1:1) by a computer-generated randomisation allocation schedule, with block randomisation based on a block size of four, to switch to doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg) or continue bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide orally once daily, with matching placebos taken by all participants. Participants, investigators, study staff, and sponsor personnel involved in study drug administration or clinical evaluation of participants were masked to treatment assignment until week 48. Participants were instructed at each visit to take one tablet from each of the two bottles received, one of study drug and one of placebo, once daily, and participants were assessed at baseline and weeks 4, 12, 24, 36, and 48. The primary endpoint was the proportion of participants with greater than or equal to 50 HIV-1 RNA copies per mL at week 48 in the full analysis set (ie, all participants who received at least one dose of study drug; US Food and Drug Administration snapshot; prespecified non-inferiority margin 4%). The study is ongoing, with all remaining participants in post-treatment follow-up, and is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04223791. We screened 726 individuals for eligibility between Feb 18 and Sept 3, 2020, of whom 643 (88·6%) participants were randomly assigned to a treatment group (183 [28·5%] women and 460 [71·5%] men). 322 participants were switched to doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg) and 321 continued bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide (two participants [one with a protocol deviation and one who withdrew] assigned to bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide did not receive treatment). The last follow-up visit for the week 48 analysis occurred on Aug 26, 2021. At week 48, two (0·6%) of 322 participants in the doravirine and islatravir group compared with one (0·3%) of 319 participants in the bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide group had greater than or equal to 50 HIV-1 RNA copies per mL (difference 0·3%, 95% CI -1·2 to 2·0). The per-protocol analysis showed consistent results. 25 (7·8%) participants in the doravirine and islatravir group had headache compared with 23 [7·2%] participants in the bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide group; 101 (31·4%) compared with 98 (30·7%) had infections; and eight (2·5%) participants in each group discontinued therapy due to adverse events. 32 (9·9%) participants had treatment-related adverse events in the islatravir and doravirine group comapred with 38 (11·9%) in the bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide group. In the islatravir and doravirine group, CD4 cell counts (mean change -19·7 cells per μL) and total lymphocyte counts (mean change -0·20 × 109/L) were decreased at 48 weeks. Switching to daily doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg) was non-inferior to bictegravir, emtricitabine, and tenofovir alafenamide at week 48. However, decreases in CD4 cell and total lymphocyte counts do not support the further development of once-daily doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg). Merck Sharp & Dohme, a subsidiary of Merck & Co.

Mills AM ，Rizzardini G ，Ramgopal MN ，Osiyemi OO ，Bogner JR ，Hagins DP ，Paredes R ，Reynes J ，Rockstroh JK ，Carr A ，Su FH ，Klopfer SO ，Eves K ，Plank RM ，Correll T ，Fox MC ... -  《Lancet HIV》

Switch to fixed-dose doravirine (100 mg) with islatravir (0·75 mg) once daily in virologically suppressed adults with HIV-1 on antiretroviral therapy: 48-week results of a phase 3, randomised, open-label, non-inferiority trial.

Doravirine and islatravir is an investigational, once-daily, single-tablet regimen with high antiviral potency, favourable safety and tolerability, and low propensity for resistance. We report week 48 results from a phase 3 trial evaluating switch from stable, oral antiretroviral therapy (ART) to the fixed combination of doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg). This phase 3, multicentre, randomised, active-controlled, open-label, non-inferiority trial was conducted at 77 research, community, and hospital-based clinics in 15 countries. Adults aged 18 years or older with fewer than 50 HIV-1 RNA copies per mL on any oral, two-drug or three-drug ART regimen for at least 3 months, and no history of previous virological failure on any past or current regimen were randomly assigned (1:1) by a computer-generated randomisation schedule to switch to doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg) or to continue their baseline ART regimen. Block randomisation was based on a block size of four, and randomisation was stratified by baseline regimen (ie, protease inhibitor, integrase inhibitor, or other). Participants in the doravirine and islatravir group were instructed to take one tablet at approximately the same time each day, and participants in the baseline ART group continued to take the medication according to the locally approved label. HIV-1 RNA and safety evaluations were done at baseline and weeks 4, 12, 24, 36, and 48. CD4 cell counts were measured at baseline, week 24, and week 48. The primary endpoint was proportion of participants with greater than or equal to 50 HIV-1 RNA copies per mL at week 48 in the full analysis set (ie, all participants who received at least one dose of study drug) using the US Food and Drug Administration snapshot approach and prespecified non-inferiority margin of 4%. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT04223778) and is completed. Between Feb 18 and Oct 2, 2020, 740 individuals were screened for eligibility, of whom 672 (90·8%) participants (249 [37·1%] women and 423 [62·9%] men; median CD4 count of 678 cells per μL [IQR 496-868]) were randomly assigned to doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg; n=336) or to continue baseline ART (n=336). The last follow-up visit occurred on Sept 8, 2021. At week 48, zero of 336 participants in the doravirine and islatravir group versus five (1·5%) of 336 participants in the baseline ART group had greater than or equal to 50 HIV-1 RNA copies per mL (difference -1·5, 95% CI -3·4 to -0·3). The per-protocol analysis showed consistent results. Headache was the most common adverse event in both groups (35 [10·4%] of 336 participants in the doravirine and islatravir group, 16 [4·8%] of 336 in the baseline ART group), infection rates were similar (113 [33·6%] in both groups), and discontinuations due to adverse events were low (seven [2·1%] vs one [0·3%]). 66 (19·6%) of 336 participants had treatment-related adverse events in the doravirine and islatravir group compared with 30 (8·9%) of 336 in the baseline ART group. In the islatravir and doravirine group, CD4 cell counts (mean change -30·3 cells per μL) and total lymphocyte counts (mean change -0·26 × 109/L) were decreased at 48 weeks. Switching to single-tablet doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg) maintained viral suppression up to week 48 and was non-inferior to antiretroviral combinations used in clinical practice for adults with HIV-1; however, decreases in CD4 cell and total lymphocyte counts do not support further development of once-daily doravirine (100 mg) and islatravir (0·75 mg). Merck Sharp & Dohme, a subsidiary of Merck & Co.

Molina JM ，Rizzardini G ，Orrell C ，Afani A ，Calmy A ，Oka S ，Hinestrosa F ，Kumar P ，Tebas P ，Walmsley S ，Grandhi A ，Klopfer S ，Gendrano I ，Eves K ，Correll TA ，Fox MC ，Kim J ... -  《Lancet HIV》

Doravirine versus ritonavir-boosted darunavir in antiretroviral-naive adults with HIV-1 (DRIVE-FORWARD): 96-week results of a randomised, double-blind, non-inferiority, phase 3 trial.

Doravirine is a novel, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor that has shown non-inferior efficacy to ritonavir-boosted darunavir, with a superior lipid profile, in adults with HIV who were treatment naive at week 48 in the phase 3 DRIVE-FORWARD trial. Here we present the 96-week data for the study. This randomised, controlled, double-blind, multicentre, non-inferiority, phase 3 study was undertaken at 125 clinical centres in 15 countries. Eligible participants were adults (aged ≥18 years) infected with HIV-1 who were naive to antiretroviral therapy, with a plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration of 1000 copies per mL or higher at screening, and no known resistance to any of the study drugs. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) using an interactive voice and web response system, stratified by baseline HIV-1 RNA concentration and background nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor therapy, to doravirine (100 mg per day) or ritonavir-boosted darunavir (100 mg ritonavir and 800 mg darunavir per day), both with investigator-selected nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors: emtricitabine and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate or abacavir and lamivudine. Participants and investigators were masked to treatment assignment until week 96. The primary efficacy endpoint was the proportion of participants who had a plasma HIV-1 RNA concentration of less than 50 copies per mL at week 48, which has been reported previously. Here we report the key secondary efficacy endpoint of the proportion of participants who achieved this concentration by week 96, assessed in all participants who received at least one dose of any study drug, regardless of whether it was their randomly assigned treatment. We used a US Food and Drug Administration snapshot approach and a margin of 10 percentage points to define the non-inferiority of doravirine to ritonavir-boosted darunavir at 96 weeks. Key safety endpoints were change in fasting serum lipid concentrations, the incidence of adverse events, and time to discontinuation due to an adverse event, assessed in all participants who received at least one dose of any study medication. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02275780, and is closed to accrual. Between Dec 1, 2014, and Oct 20, 2015, 1027 individuals were screened, of whom 769 participants were randomly assigned to doravirine (n=385) or ritonavir-boosted darunavir (n=384), and 383 in both groups were given at least one dose of their allocated treatment. Most participants were male (645 [84%] of 766) and white (560 [73%]), with a mean age of 35·2 years (SD 10·6). 292 participants in the doravirine group and 273 in the darunavir group completed 96 weeks of treatment. At week 96, a higher proportion of the doravirine group (277 [73%] of 383) achieved an HIV-1 RNA concentration of less than 50 copies per mL than did of the darunavir group (248 [66%] of 383; difference 7·1%, 95% CI 0·5-13·7). Responses were similar regardless of baseline characteristics. Treatment-emergent resistance to any study drug occurred in two (1%) of 383 participants in the doravirine group and one (<1%) of 383 in the ritonavir-boosted darunavir group. Significant differences were seen between treatment groups in mean changes from baseline in LDL cholesterol (-14·6 mg/dL, 95% CI -18·2 to -11·0) and non-HDL cholesterol (-18·4 mg/dL, -22·5 to -14·3). Frequencies of adverse events were similar between groups. No significant treatment difference (log-rank nominal p=0·063) through week 96 was observed in time to discontinuation due to an adverse event. The most common adverse events (week 0-96) were diarrhoea (65 [17%] in the doravirine group vs 91 [24%] in the ritonavir-boosted darunavir group), nausea (45 [12%] vs 52 [14%]), headache (57 [15%] vs 46 [12%]), and upper respiratory tract infection (51 [13%] vs 30 [8%]). Two participants, one in each group, died during treatment; neither death was considered to be related to study medication. These results through 96 weeks support the efficacy and safety results reported previously for doravirine at 48 weeks, supporting the use of doravirine for the long-term treatment of adults with previously untreated HIV-1 infection. Merck.

Molina JM ，Squires K ，Sax PE ，Cahn P ，Lombaard J ，DeJesus E ，Lai MT ，Rodgers A ，Lupinacci L ，Kumar S ，Sklar P ，Hanna GJ ，Hwang C ，Martin EA ，DRIVE-FORWARD trial group ... -  《Lancet HIV》