Dolutegravir monotherapy as maintenance strategy: a meta-analysis of individual participant data from randomized controlled trials

Two Cases of Viral Re-suppression After M184V + R263K Selection on Dolutegravir/Lamivudine Without Treatment Modification

Dolutegravir/lamivudine (DTG/3TC) has a high genetic barrier against the development of human immunodeficiency virus drug resistance. We report 2 cases of R263K + M184V mutations during DTG/3TC failure followed by viral suppression after adherence intervention without treatment change that we attribute to residual drug activity, reduced viral fitness, and robust immune competence.

Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Dolutegravir in Treatment-Experienced Adults Living with HIV-1

The World Health Organization has recommended the use of dolutegravir (DTG) for both first and second-line antiretroviral treatment in both adults and children down to 4 weeks of age. We developed a population pharmacokinetic(PopPK) model following oral administration of DTG 50 mg QD and 50 mg BID in HIV-infected treatment-experienced adults (607) based on pooled data from four phase 2/3 trials. DTG population pharmacokinetics are described by a one-compartment model with first-order absorption, absorption lag-time, and first-order elimination. The PopPK parameter estimates were apparent oral clearance (CL/F) = 1.00 L/h, apparent volume of distribution (V/F) = 18.9 L, absorption rate constant (Ka) = 1.99 per hour, and absorption lag time = 0.333 h, respectively. The final model included inter-individual and inter-occasion variability on apparent clearance (CL/F). Weight, smoking status, use of metabolic inducers as part of background antiretroviral therapy (ART) classified by their level of induction, use of atazanavir or atazanavir-ritonavir as part of background ART, and albumin level were predictors of CL/F; weight and albumin level were predictors of V/F; and sex and concomitant use of metal cation-containing vitamin/mineral supplements were predictors of relative bioavailability (F). The current model-based analysis suggests that the DTG dose adjustment is not required based on the demographics, laboratory values, smoking status, concomitant use of mild metabolic inducers or inhibitors in the background therapy, or use of metal cation-containing vitamin/mineral supplements because these covariate effects are not predicted to have a clinically relevant impact on safety and efficacy.

Cohort Profile: The Zurich Primary HIV Infection Study

The Zurich Primary HIV Infection (ZPHI) study is a longitudinal cohort study established in 2002, aiming to study the clinical, epidemiological, and biological characteristics of primary HIV infection. The ZPHI enrolls individuals with documented primary HIV-1 infection. At the baseline and thereafter, the socio-demographic, clinical, and laboratory data are systematically collected, and regular blood sampling is performed for biobanking. By the end of December 2022, 486 people were enrolled, of which 353 were still undergoing active follow-up. Of the 486 participants, 86% had an acute infection, and 14% a recent HIV-1 infection. Men who have sex with men accounted for 74% of the study population. The median time from the estimated date of infection to diagnosis was 32 days. The median time from diagnosis to the initiation of antiretroviral therapy was 11 days, and this has consistently decreased over the last two decades. During the seroconversion phase, 447 (92%) patients reported having symptoms, of which only 73% of the patients were classified as having typical acute retroviral syndrome. The ZPHI study is a well-characterized cohort belonging to the most extensively studied primary HIV infection cohort. Its findings contribute to advancing our understanding of the early stages of HIV infection and pathogenesis, and it is paving the way to further improve HIV translational research and HIV medicine.

Doravirine Plus Integrase Strand Transfer Inhibitors as a 2-Drug Treatment-Switch Strategy in People Living with HIV: The Real-Life DORINI Multicentric Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Few data are available about the efficacy, durability, and tolerability of doravirine (DOR) + integrase strand inhibitors (INI) as a switching strategy among antiretroviral therapy (ART)-experienced people living with HIV (PLWH).

SETTING

Retrospective, multicenter cohort study investigating the durability, efficacy, and tolerability of 2 off-label drug associations of DOR + INI among ART-experienced PLWH.

METHODS

The study included PLWH who switched to DOR combined with either raltegravir (RAL) or dolutegravir (DTG) between June 1, 2020, and December 31, 2021, with at least 1 follow-up (FU) visit. Virologic, biometric, and metabolic parameters were evaluated at baseline (T0) and at 1-3 (T1), 6 (T2), and 12 (T3) months. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses assessed the 28-week probability of persistence on the regimens. Patient satisfaction was measured using the HIV Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire.

RESULTS

Ninety-five PLWH were included, 52 in DOR + RAL and 43 in DOR + DTG. Six treatment discontinuations were reported during a mean of 37 (±17) weeks of FU (incidence of 2.7 × 1000 person-weeks FU). Only 2 were the result of virological failure without resistance mutations. DOR + DTG demonstrated significantly higher 28-week persistence than DOR + RAL (HR 1.90, 95% CI: 1.24-2.90, log-rank: P = 0.003). Weight, waist circumference, and fasting lipids reduced considerably at T3 vs T0. Overall, high satisfaction with the new treatment was reported, particularly in the DOR + RAL (68 (64-72)/72), compared with the DOR + DTG group (58 (50-65)/72, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Our experience revealed few treatment discontinuations, improved metabolic parameters, and high patient satisfaction among ART-experienced PLWH switching to DOR combined with INI, irrespective of the specific INI used.

Sustained Viral Suppression With Dolutegravir Monotherapy Over 192 Weeks in Patients Starting Combination Antiretroviral Therapy During Primary Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection (EARLY-SIMPLIFIED): A Randomized, Controlled, Multi-site, Noninferiority Trial

BACKGROUND

Starting combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) during primary human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection results in a smaller HIV-1 latent reservoir, reduced immune activation, and less viral diversity compared to starting cART during chronic infection. We report results of a 4-year study designed to determine whether these properties would allow sustained virological suppression after simplification of cART to dolutegravir (DTG) monotherapy.

METHODS

EARLY-SIMPLIFIED is a randomized, open-label, noninferiority trial. People with HIV (PWH) who started cART <180 days after a documented primary HIV-1 infection with suppressed viral load were randomized (2:1) to DTG monotherapy with 50 mg daily or continuation of cART. The primary endpoints were the proportion of PWH with viral failure at 48, 96, 144, and 192 weeks; noninferiority margin was 10%. After 96 weeks, randomization was lifted and patients were permitted to switch treatment groups as desired.

RESULTS

Of 101 PWH randomized, 68 were assigned to DTG monotherapy and 33 to cART. At week 96 in the per-protocol population, 64/64 (100%) showed virological response in the DTG monotherapy group versus 30/30 (100%) in the cART group (difference, 0.00%; upper bound of 95% confidence interval 6.22%). This demonstrated noninferiority of DTG monotherapy at the prespecified level. At week 192, the study end, no virological failure occurred in either group during 13 308 and 4897 person weeks of follow-up for the DTG monotherapy (n = 80) and cART groups, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

This trial suggests that early cART initiation during primary HIV infection allows sustained virological suppression after switching to DTG monotherapy.

Absence of Proviral Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Type 1 Evolution in Early-Treated Individuals With HIV Switching to Dolutegravir Monotherapy During 48 Weeks

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection is treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART), usually consisting of 2-3 different drugs, referred to as combination ART (cART). Our recent randomized clinical trial comparing a switch to dolutegravir monotherapy with continuation of cART in early-treated individuals demonstrated sustained virological suppression over 48 weeks. Here, we characterize the longitudinal landscape of the HIV-1 reservoir in these participants, with particular attention to potential differences between treatment groups regarding evidence of evolution as a proxy for low-level replication. Near full-length HIV-1 proviral polymerase chain reaction and next-generation sequencing was applied to longitudinal peripheral blood mononuclear cell samples to assess proviral evolution and the potential emergence of drug resistance mutations (DRMs). Neither an increase in genetic distance nor diversity over time was detected in participants of both treatment groups. Single proviral analysis showed high proportions of defective proviruses and low DRM numbers. No evidence for evolution during dolutegravir monotherapy was found in these early-treated individuals.

Vector-Transmitted Flaviviruses: An Antiviral Molecules Overview

Flaviviruses cause numerous pathologies in humans across a broad clinical spectrum with potentially severe clinical manifestations, including hemorrhagic and neurological disorders. Among human flaviviruses, some viral proteins show high conservation and are good candidates as targets for drug design. From an epidemiological point of view, flaviviruses cause more than 400 million cases of infection worldwide each year. In particular, the Yellow Fever, dengue, West Nile, and Zika viruses have high morbidity and mortality-about an estimated 20,000 deaths per year. As they depend on human vectors, they have expanded their geographical range in recent years due to altered climatic and social conditions. Despite these epidemiological and clinical premises, there are limited antiviral treatments for these infections. In this review, we describe the major compounds that are currently under evaluation for the treatment of flavivirus infections and the challenges faced during clinical trials, outlining their mechanisms of action in order to present an overview of ongoing studies. According to our review, the absence of approved antivirals for flaviviruses led to in vitro and in vivo experiments aimed at identifying compounds that can interfere with one or more viral cycle steps. Still, the currently unavailability of approved antivirals poses a significant public health issue.

Genotypic Resistance Testing of HIV-1 DNA in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

HIV-1 DNA exists in nonintegrated linear and circular episomal forms and as integrated proviruses. In patients with plasma viremia, most peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) HIV-1 DNA consists of recently produced nonintegrated virus DNA while in patients with prolonged virological suppression (VS) on antiretroviral therapy (ART), most PBMC HIV-1 DNA consists of proviral DNA produced months to years earlier. Drug-resistance mutations (DRMs) in PBMCs are more likely to coexist with ancestral wild-type virus populations than they are in plasma, explaining why next-generation sequencing is particularly useful for the detection of PBMC-associated DRMs. In patients with ongoing high levels of active virus replication, the DRMs detected in PBMCs and in plasma are usually highly concordant. However, in patients with lower levels of virus replication, it may take several months for plasma virus DRMs to reach detectable levels in PBMCs. This time lag explains why, in patients with VS, PBMC genotypic resistance testing (GRT) is less sensitive than historical plasma virus GRT, if previous episodes of virological failure and emergent DRMs were either not prolonged or not associated with high levels of plasma viremia. Despite the increasing use of PBMC GRT in patients with VS, few studies have examined the predictive value of DRMs on the response to a simplified ART regimen. In this review, we summarize what is known about PBMC HIV-1 DNA dynamics, particularly in patients with suppressed plasma viremia, the methods used for PBMC HIV-1 GRT, and the scenarios in which PBMC GRT has been used clinically.