HIV/HCV therapy with ledipasvir/sofosbuvir after randomized switch to emtricitabine-tenofovir alafenamide-based single-tablet regimens

Renal safety of tenofovir alafenamide-based antiretroviral therapy in people with HIV: A mini-review

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly enhanced the outlook for people with HIV(PWH), yet certain ART medications can adversely affect the renal function of these patients. Of particular concern is the nephrotoxicity associated with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF). Compared to TDF, tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), another prodrug of tenofovir (TFV), results in lower TFV plasma levels, thereby alleviating the TFV-associated mitochondrial toxicity on proximal renal tubular cells. Currently, numerous clinical trials and real-world studies have demonstrated the favorable renal safety profile of ART regimens incorporating TAF for PWH. This paper seeks to consolidate the available evidence regarding the renal safety of TAF-based regimens in PWH, encompassing both the general PWH and those with renal impairment or predisposing factors, in order to offer recommendations and insights for TAF clinical application.

Drug combination therapy for emerging viral diseases

Effective therapeutics to combat emerging viral infections are an unmet need. Historically, treatments for chronic viral infections with single drugs have not been successful, as exemplified by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Combination therapy for these diseases has led to improved clinical outcomes with dramatic reductions in viral load, morbidity, and mortality. Drug combinations can enhance therapeutic efficacy through additive, and ideally synergistic, effects for emerging and re-emerging viruses, such as influenza, severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus (SARS-CoV), Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS)-CoV, Ebola, Zika, and SARS-coronavirus 2 (CoV-2). Although novel drug development through traditional pipelines remains a priority, in the interim, effective synergistic drug candidates could be rapidly identified by drug-repurposing screens, facilitating accelerated paths to clinical testing and potential emergency use authorizations.