Clinical and pharmacokinetic data support once-daily low-dose boosted saquinavir (1,200 milligrams saquinavir with 100 milligrams ritonavir) in treatment-naive or limited protease inhibitor-experienced human immunodeficiency virus-infected patients.
We evaluated the plasma and intracellular pharmacokinetics, clinical efficacy, and safety of once-daily low-dose boosted saquinavir (SQVr; 1,200 of saquinavir [SQV] with 100 mg of ritonavir) plus two nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors in treatment-naive or limited protease inhibitor (PI)-experienced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients. A prospective study without entry restrictions on the plasma HIV-RNA (VL) or CD4 cell count was carried out. Plasma and intracellular SQV levels were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Efficacy was evaluated by an intention-to-treat analysis; treatment failure was defined as virological failure (a VL of >50 copies/ml after 24 weeks or a confirmed rebound to >50 copies/ml) or interruption for any reason. A total of 151 patients were included in the study (106 of them either had never received PI or had no previous virological failure on PIs) and could be characterized as follows: previous C3 stage, 28.9%; injection-drug users, 69.1%; subjects with chronic viral hepatitis, 53%; and subjects with cirrhosis, 10%. The median baseline CD4 level was 184/mul, and the median VL was 4.8 log(10) copies/ml. Median C(max), area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 24 h, and C(min) plasma and intracellular SQV levels were 3,672 and 10,105 ng/ml, 34,283 and 99,535 ng.h/ml, and 359 and 1,062 ng/ml, respectively. The efficacy as determined by intention to treat at 52 weeks was 69.7% (96% in the on-treatment analysis), with similar results regardless of the baseline VL and CD4 counts. Only five patients had virological failure despite adequate C(min) levels, but with a poor adherence (the only variable related to virological failure). Adverse events caused the withdrawal of the treatment in four patients (2.6%). In conclusion, given the pharmacokinetic profile, efficacy, and tolerability of this regimen, once-daily low-dose SQVr may be considered a treatment option in treatment-naive or limited PI-experienced HIV-infected patients, with the additional benefit of being currently the least-expensive PI-based regimen available.
Marin-Niebla
Ana
A
Servicio de Hematología, Hospital Universitario Virgen del Rocío, Avda. Manuel Siurot s/n, 41013 Seville, Spain. amniebla@telefonica.net
Lopez-Cortes
Luis Fernando
LF
Ruiz-Valderas
Rosa
R
Viciana
Pompeyo
P
Mata
Rosario
R
Gutierrez
Alicia
A
Pascual
Rosario
R
Rodriguez
Magdalena
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D019380:Anti-HIV Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000097:blood; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019438:Ritonavir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019258:Saquinavir / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D019380:Anti-HIV Agents; D012367:RNA, Viral; D018894:Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors; D019258:Saquinavir; D019438:Ritonavir