Doravirine/Islatravir (100/0.75 mg) Once-Daily Compared With Bictegravir/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide as Initial HIV-1 Treatment: 48-Week Results From a Phase 3, Randomized, Controlled, Double-Blind, Noninferiority Trial
Jürgen K. Rockstroh, Roger Paredes, Pedro Cahn, Jean‐Michel Molina, Simiso Sokhela, Federico Hinestrosa, Sheetal Kassim, Douglas Cunningham, Jade Ghosn, Johannes R. Bogner, Hiroyuki Gatanaga, Ernest Asante‐Appiah, Ying Zhang, Uchechukwu Nwoke, Stephanie O. Klopfer, Karen Eves, Kathleen Squires, Todd Correll, Michelle C. Fox, Mary L. Pisculli
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Doravirine/islatravir is an investigational regimen that is being studied for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) treatment. METHODS: In this phase 3, double-blind, double-dummy trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04233879), previously untreated adults with HIV-1 were randomized (1:1) and stratified by HIV-1 RNA (≤/>100 000 copies/mL) and CD4 count (</≥200 cells/µL) to doravirine/islatravir (100/0.75 mg) or bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (50/200/25 mg) orally once-daily (primary endpoint: percentage of participants with HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL at week 48; US Food and Drug Administration snapshot, 10% noninferiority margin). RESULTS: Overall, 597 participants were treated; enrollment stopped early due to decreases in CD4 and lymphocyte counts observed in other islatravir studies. Doravirine/islatravir was noninferior to bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide: 265 of 298 (88.9%) versus 264 of 299 (88.3%) had HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL (difference, 0.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -4.7, 5.6). Mean change from baseline in CD4 count was +182 and +234 cells/µL (difference, -50; 95% CI: -79, -21) with doravirine/islatravir versus bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide. Mean change in lymphocyte count was 0.01 and 0.21 × 109/L (difference, -0.20; 95% CI: -0.30, -0.10). Adverse events (AEs) occurred in 90.6% and 87.3% of participants, with coronavirus disease 2019 being most common (14.1%, 16.4%). Treatment-related AEs were similar (28.9%, 25.8%). AEs that led to discontinuations were higher with doravirine/islatravir (8.7%, 3.7%) due to protocol-specified criteria that required discontinuation for decreased CD4 and lymphocyte counts. CONCLUSIONS: Doravirine/islatravir (100/0.75 mg) once-daily was noninferior to bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide through week 48 for initial HIV-1 treatment. Due to decreases in CD4 and lymphocyte counts, development of this dose of doravirine/islatravir was stopped. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: NCT04233879.