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GSK’s two drug HIV regimen effective when administered every two months

pharmafile | August 22, 2019 | News story | Research and Development AIDS, GSK, HIV, ViiV Healthcare, viral supression 

GSK’s long-acting, two-drug HIV regimen was as effective in supressing patient’s viral loads when administered every two months (eight weeks), than it was when administered monthly, over a period of 48 weeks, according to the results of a Phase 3 trial.

GlaxoSmithKline’s HIV unit ViiV Healthcare has said its two drug cocktail of cabotegravir and rilpivirine (Janssen) proved successful in supressing viral load when administered every two months in the Phase 3 ATLAS-2M.

ViiV Healthcare is a joint venture between US firm Pfizer and British multinational GSK, majority owned by GSK. The two drug combo comes as part of a collaboration between ViiV healthcare, and J&J’s pharma subsidiary Janssen. J&J acquired rilpivirine developer Tibotec in 1994 and merged the firm with Janssen in 2002. 

The study met its primary endpoint of showing non-inferiority when injected every two months compared to when injected every month.

Dr Kimberly Smith, Head of Research & Development at ViiV Healthcare, said: “We are excited to report that for the first time since the AIDS epidemic started more than 30 years ago, our ATLAS-2M study has demonstrated that it is possible to maintain suppression of the HIV virus with an injectable regimen containing two drugs administered every two months.”

“This is further progress in our efforts to reduce the number of medicines a person living with HIV must take while also reducing the frequency of treatments. The ATLAS-2M study results mean that people living with HIV could maintain viral suppression with six total treatments per year, instead of a daily oral treatment 365 times per year. Approval of this regimen would mark a significant change in the HIV treatment paradigm.”

Louis Goss

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