title: Efficacy and safety of once-daily darunavir/ritonavir versus lopinavir/ritonavir in treatment-naive HIV-1-infected patients at week 48.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The present primary analysis of AntiRetroviral Therapy with TMC114 ExaMined In naive Subjects (ARTEMIS) compares the efficacy and safety of once-daily darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) with that of lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r) in treatment-naive patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with HIV-1 RNA at least 5000 copies/ml were stratified by HIV-1 RNA and CD4 cell count in a phase III, open-label trial, and randomized to receive DRV/r 800/100 mg qd or LPV/r 800/200 mg total daily dose (bid or qd) plus fixed-dose tenofovir and emtricitabine for 192 weeks. The primary objective was to demonstrate non-inferiority of DRV/r as compared with LPV/r in HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies/ml per-protocol time-to-loss of virologic response at 48 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six hundred and eighty-nine patients were randomized and treated; mean baseline HIV-1 RNA: 4.85 log10 copies/ml and median CD4 count: 225 cells/microl. At 48 weeks, 84% of DRV/r and 78% of LPV/r patients achieved HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies/ml (estimated difference = 5.6 [95% confidence interval -0.1-11]%), demonstrating non-inferiority of DRV/r as compared with LPV/r (P < 0.001; per-protocol time-to-loss of virologic response). Patients with HIV-1 RNA at least 100 000 copies/ml had a significantly higher response rate with DRV/r (79%) versus LPV/r (67%; P < 0.05). Median CD4 cell count increases (non-completer = failure; cells/mul) were 137 for DRV/r and 141 for LPV/r. DRV/r had a lower incidence of possibly treatment-related grade 2-4 gastrointestinal-related adverse events (7 versus 14%) and treatment-related moderate-to-severe diarrhea (4 versus 10%) than LPV/r. Adverse events leading to discontinuation were DRV/r: 3% and LPV/r: 7%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DRV/r 800/100 mg qd was non-inferior to LPV/r 800/200 mg at 48 weeks, with a more favorable safety profile. Significantly higher response rates were observed with DRV/r in patients with HIV-1 RNA at least 100 000 copies/ml. DRV/r 800/100 mg offers a new effective and well tolerated once-daily, first-line treatment option for treatment-naive patients.
authors.affiliation: Orlando Immunology Center, Orlando, Florida, USA. rocuv@aol.com
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ortiz
authors.forename: Edwin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Dejesus
authors.forename: Homayoon
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Khanlou
authors.forename: Evgeniy
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Voronin
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Lunzen
authors.forename: Jaime
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Andrade-Villanueva
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fourie
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De Meyer
authors.forename: Martine
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Pauw
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lefebvre
authors.forename: Tony
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vangeneugden
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spinosa-Guzman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018791:CD4 Lymphocyte Count; D000069454:Darunavir; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004338:Drug Combinations; D024882:Drug Resistance, Viral; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015497:HIV-1 / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D061466:Lopinavir; D008297:Male; D011744:Pyrimidinones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012367:RNA, Viral / Q000032:analysis; D019438:Ritonavir / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D017320:HIV Protease Inhibitors; D008055:Lipids; D011744:Pyrimidinones; D012367:RNA, Viral; D013449:Sulfonamides; D061466:Lopinavir; D019438:Ritonavir; D000069454:Darunavir