Cabotegravir for HIV Prevention in Cisgender Men and Transgender Women.

BACKGROUND: Safe and effective long-acting injectable agents for preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection are needed to increase the options for preventing HIV infection. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, noninferiority trial to compare long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA, an integrase strand-transfer inhibitor [INSTI]) at a dose of 600 mg, given intramuscularly every 8 weeks, with daily oral tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-emtricitabine (TDF-FTC) for the prevention of HIV infection in at-risk cisgender men who have sex with men (MSM) and in at-risk transgender women who have sex with men. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive one of the two regimens and were followed for 153 weeks. HIV testing and safety evaluations were performed. The primary end point was incident HIV infection. RESULTS: The intention-to-treat population included 4566 participants who underwent randomization; 570 (12.5%) identified as transgender women, and the median age was 26 years (interquartile range, 22 to 32). The trial was stopped early for efficacy on review of the results of the first preplanned interim end-point analysis. Among 1698 participants from the United States, 845 (49.8%) identified as Black. Incident HIV infection occurred in 52 participants: 13 in the cabotegravir group (incidence, 0.41 per 100 person-years) and 39 in the TDF-FTC group (incidence, 1.22 per 100 person-years) (hazard ratio, 0.34; 95% confidence interval, 0.18 to 0.62). The effect was consistent across prespecified subgroups. Injection-site reactions were reported in 81.4% of the participants in the cabotegravir group and in 31.3% of those in the TDF-FTC group. In the participants in whom HIV infection was diagnosed after exposure to CAB-LA, INSTI resistance and delays in the detection of HIV infection were noted. No safety concerns were identified. CONCLUSIONS: CAB-LA was superior to daily oral TDF-FTC in preventing HIV infection among MSM and transgender women. Strategies are needed to prevent INSTI resistance in cases of CAB-LA PrEP failure. (Funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and others; HPTN 083 ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02720094.).

Pharmacologic Drug Detection and Self-Reported Adherence in the HPTN069/ACTG5305 Phase II PrEP Trial.

Adherence drives efficacy in PrEP clinical trials. We compared drug concentrations and self-reported adherence in HPTN069/ACTG5305, a double-blinded, randomized trial of the safety and tolerability of candidate PrEP regimens that included maraviroc (MVC), tenofovir (TDF), and emtricitabine (FTC). Plasma drug concentrations and self-reported adherence by computer-assisted self-interview (CASI) were assessed at study weeks 24 and 48. Descriptive statistics and a generalized linear model were used to assess the association between selected demographic factors, self-report of daily medication adherence and plasma drug concentrations consistent with daily adherence. Among 718 paired observations from 370 participants, 43% (306/718) reported daily adherence by CASI, 65% (467/718) had drug concentrations consistent with daily adherence and 11% (81/718) had CASI responses that reported daily adherence despite having drug concentrations consistent with less-than-daily adherence. In adjusted analyses, participants who were assigned male at birth (aOR 1.42 [95% CI 1.02, 1.97]), older (5-year increments aOR 1.10 [95% CI 1.09, 1.11]), White (aOR 2.2 [95% CI 1.88, 2.56]), had advanced education (aOR 3.89 [95% CI 2.97, 5.09]), were employed (aOR 1.89 [95% CI 1.50, 2.40]), or partnered/married (aOR 2 [95% CI 1.72, 2.32]) were more likely to have drug concentrations consistent with daily adherence. Participants who were not employed (aOR 2.7 [95% CI 1.31, 5.55]) or who were single/not partnered (aOR 2.33 [CI 95% 1.25, 4.34]) were more likely to have drug concentrations that did not reflect daily adherence despite self-reported PrEP adherence. These findings support the need for ongoing adherence counseling in clinical trials of new PrEP regimens.

Expectations of preventative benefits and risk behaviors in a randomized trial evaluating oral HIV preexposure prophylaxis candidates.

When participants enrolled in an HIV prevention trial hold a preventive misconception (PM) - expectations that experimental interventions will confer protection from HIV infection - they may engage in behaviors that increase their risk of acquiring HIV. This can raise ethical concerns about whether those enrolled in the trial understand the nature of participation and their safety. Consequently, we systematically evaluated the prevalence of PM and its association with risk behaviors in a trial examining three candidate regimens for oral HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis in which all participants received at least one antiretroviral agent. Overall, trial participants exhibited relatively high preventive expectations that may be associated with an increase in risk behaviors among men who have sex with men. In addition, we identified substantial site variability in PM that necessitates future research to uncover its source. This will allow appropriate measures to be taken to mitigate PM and help ensure that participants have an accurate understanding of the potential risks and benefits of trial participation throughout the course of a trial.

Combination therapy with anti-HIV-1 antibodies maintains viral suppression.

Individuals infected with HIV-1 require lifelong antiretroviral therapy, because interruption of treatment leads to rapid rebound viraemia. Here we report on a phase 1b clinical trial in which a combination of 3BNC117 and 10-1074, two potent monoclonal anti-HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies that target independent sites on the HIV-1 envelope spike, was administered during analytical treatment interruption. Participants received three infusions of 30 mg kg-1 of each antibody at 0, 3 and 6 weeks. Infusions of the two antibodies were generally well-tolerated. The nine enrolled individuals with antibody-sensitive latent viral reservoirs maintained suppression for between 15 and more than 30 weeks (median of 21 weeks), and none developed viruses that were resistant to both antibodies. We conclude that the combination of the anti-HIV-1 monoclonal antibodies 3BNC117 and 10-1074 can maintain long-term suppression in the absence of antiretroviral therapy in individuals with antibody-sensitive viral reservoirs.

COVID-19.

COVID-19, the illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, became a worldwide pandemic in 2020. Initial clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic infection to mild upper respiratory illness but may progress to pulmonary involvement with hypoxemia and, in some cases, multiorgan involvement, shock, and death. Older adults, pregnant persons, those with common comorbidities, and those with immunosuppression are at greatest risk for progression. Vaccination is effective in preventing symptomatic infection and reducing risk for severe disease, hospitalization, and death. Antiviral treatment and immunomodulators have been shown to benefit certain patients. This article summarizes current recommendations on prevention, diagnosis, management, and treatment of COVID-19.

Tissue specificity-aware TWAS (TSA-TWAS) framework identifies novel associations with metabolic, immunologic, and virologic traits in HIV-positive adults.

As a type of relatively new methodology, the transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) has gained interest due to capacity for gene-level association testing. However, the development of TWAS has outpaced statistical evaluation of TWAS gene prioritization performance. Current TWAS methods vary in underlying biological assumptions about tissue specificity of transcriptional regulatory mechanisms. In a previous study from our group, this may have affected whether TWAS methods better identified associations in single tissues versus multiple tissues. We therefore designed simulation analyses to examine how the interplay between particular TWAS methods and tissue specificity of gene expression affects power and type I error rates for gene prioritization. We found that cross-tissue identification of expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) improved TWAS power. Single-tissue TWAS (i.e., PrediXcan) had robust power to identify genes expressed in single tissues, but, often found significant associations in the wrong tissues as well (therefore had high false positive rates). Cross-tissue TWAS (i.e., UTMOST) had overall equal or greater power and controlled type I error rates for genes expressed in multiple tissues. Based on these simulation results, we applied a tissue specificity-aware TWAS (TSA-TWAS) analytic framework to look for gene-based associations with pre-treatment laboratory values from AIDS Clinical Trial Group (ACTG) studies. We replicated several proof-of-concept transcriptionally regulated gene-trait associations, including UGT1A1 (encoding bilirubin uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase enzyme) and total bilirubin levels (p = 3.59×10-12), and CETP (cholesteryl ester transfer protein) with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (p = 4.49×10-12). We also identified several novel genes associated with metabolic and virologic traits, as well as pleiotropic genes that linked plasma viral load, absolute basophil count, and/or triglyceride levels. By highlighting the advantages of different TWAS methods, our simulation study promotes a tissue specificity-aware TWAS analytic framework that revealed novel aspects of HIV-related traits.

Lessons From COVID-19 for Pandemic Preparedness: Proceedings From a Multistakeholder Think Tank.

While the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to present global challenges, sufficient time has passed to reflect on lessons learned and use those insights to inform policy and approaches to prepare for the next pandemic. In May 2022, the Duke Clinical Research Institute convened a think tank with thought leaders from academia, clinical practice, the pharmaceutical industry, patient advocacy, the National Institutes of Health, the US Food and Drug Administration, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to share, firsthand, expert knowledge of the insights gained from the COVID-19 pandemic and how this acquired knowledge can help inform the next pandemic response. The think tank focused on pandemic preparedness, therapeutics, vaccines, and challenges related to clinical trial design and scale-up during the early phase of a pandemic. Based on the multi-faceted discussions, we outline 10 key steps to an improved and equitable pandemic response.

Barriers to Uptake of Long-Acting Antiretroviral Products for Treatment and Prevention of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in High-Income Countries.

Long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy (LAI-ART) for the treatment and prevention of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) holds great potential to shift treatment paradigms by offering an alternative to daily oral medication. However, significant challenges at the drug, patient, and system levels risk impeding the uptake and implementation of LAI-ART. This review aims to describe the known and anticipated barriers to uptake of LAI-ART in high-income countries, as well as the ongoing research addressing some of these barriers to improve the delivery and uptake of LAI-ART products.

Bone changes with candidate PrEP regimens containing tenofovir disoproxil fumarate and/or maraviroc and/or emtricitabine in US men and women: HPTN 069/ACTG A5305.

BACKGROUND: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-containing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has been associated with decreases in bone mineral density (BMD), but the bone effects of other non-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate candidate PrEP regimens are not well described. METHODS: The HPTN 069/ACTG A5305 study randomized 406 US cisgender men and transgender women, and 188 cisgender women at risk for HIV infection to one of four double-blinded regimens: (i) maraviroc; (ii) maraviroc + emtricitabine; (iii) maraviroc + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate; or (iv) tenofovir disoproxil fumarate + emtricitabine. BMD was measured in a subset of participants at the lumbar spine (LS) and hip by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) at baseline and 48 weeks. Percentage change in LS and hip BMD was compared between the tenofovir disoproxil fumarate- and non-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-containing arms by Wilcoxon rank-sum tests and multiple linear regression adjusting for sex, race and baseline BMI. RESULTS: At baseline (n = 307), the median age was 33 years, 56% male and 43% black. At the hip, the median percentage change in BMD at 48 weeks was -1.05% in the tenofovir disoproxil fumarate arms and 0.0% in the non-tenofovir disoproxil fumarate arms (between group P = 0.001). No interaction by sex was observed. The median percentage change in LS BMD was not different between arms. CONCLUSIONS: Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate-containing PrEP was associated with significantly greater bone loss compared with maraviroc ± emtricitabine PrEP at the hip, but not the LS. The BMD changes at the hip were similar in magnitude in men and women.

Sexual behavior and medication adherence in men who have sex with men participating in a pre-exposure prophylaxis study of combinations of Maraviroc, Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate and/or Emtricitabine (HPTN 069/ACTG 5305).

HPTN 069/ACTG 5305 was designed to evaluate potential new PrEP regimens that included maraviroc, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and/or emtricitabine. The current analyses assessed antiretroviral (ARV) plasma concentrations in relation to sexual behavior in 224 cisgender men who have sex with men and 2 transgender women at risk for HIV. Poisson generalized estimating equations (GEE) regression were used to test for associations between self-reported sexual behavior, sociodemographic, behavioral variables, and study drug levels The median (IQR) age was 30 [25, 37] years old; 48.2% had completed college; 27.4% were Black and 21.7% Latino. At weeks 24 and 48, one third of participants reported condomless anal sex (CAS) in the prior month with more than one partner. CAS was associated with daily ARV drug use (χ2 = 12.64, p = 0.002). Older individuals and those with greater education were more likely to ingest ARV drugs daily (χ2 = 9.36, p = 0.009 and χ2 = 8.63, p = 0.013, respectively), while neither race nor ethnicity was associated with daily ARV drug use. Participants who reported recent condomless anal sex and/or advanced education had higher rates of daily ARV drug use. These data support the need for ongoing adherence counseling in clinical trials of new PrEP modalities.

HIV-1 antibody 3BNC117 suppresses viral rebound in humans during treatment interruption.

Interruption of combination antiretroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected individuals leads to rapid viral rebound. Here we report the results of a phase IIa open label clinical trial evaluating 3BNC117,a broad and potent neutralizing antibody against the CD4 binding site of the HIV-1 Env protein, during analytical treatment interruption in 13 HIV-1-infected individuals. Participants with 3BNC117-sensitive virus outgrowth cultures were enrolled. Results show that two or four 30 mg kg(-1) 3BNC117 infusions,separated by 3 or 2 weeks, respectively, are generally well tolerated.Infusions are associated with a delay in viral rebound of 5-9 weeks after two infusions, and up to 19 weeks after four infusions, or an average of 6.7 and 9.9 weeks, respectively, compared with 2.6 weeks for historical controls (P < 0.00001). Rebound viruses arise predominantly from a single provirus. In most individuals,emerging viruses show increased resistance, indicating escape.However, 30% of participants remained suppressed until antibody concentrations waned below 20 µg ml(-1), and the viruses emerging in all but one of these individuals showed no apparent resistance to 3BCN117, suggesting failure to escape over a period of 9-19 weeks.We conclude that the administration of 3BNC117 exerts strong selective pressure on HIV-1 emerging from latent reservoirs during analytical treatment interruption in humans.

Developing Treatment Guidelines During a Pandemic Health Crisis: Lessons Learned From COVID-19.

The development of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines began in March 2020 in response to a request from the White House Coronavirus Task Force. Within 4 days of the request, the NIH COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel was established and the first meeting took place (virtually-as did subsequent meetings). The Panel comprises 57 individuals representing 6 governmental agencies, 11 professional societies, and 33 medical centers, plus 2 community members, who have worked together to create and frequently update the guidelines on the basis of evidence from the most recent clinical studies available. The initial version of the guidelines was completed within 2 weeks and posted online on 21 April 2020. Initially, sparse evidence was available to guide COVID-19 treatment recommendations. However, treatment data rapidly accrued based on results from clinical studies that used various study designs and evaluated different therapeutic agents and approaches. Data have continued to evolve at a rapid pace, leading to 24 revisions and updates of the guidelines in the first year. This process has provided important lessons for responding to an unprecedented public health emergency: Providers and stakeholders are eager to access credible, current treatment guidelines; governmental agencies, professional societies, and health care leaders can work together effectively and expeditiously; panelists from various disciplines, including biostatistics, are important for quickly developing well-informed recommendations; well-powered randomized clinical trials continue to provide the most compelling evidence to guide treatment recommendations; treatment recommendations need to be developed in a confidential setting free from external pressures; development of a user-friendly, web-based format for communicating with health care providers requires substantial administrative support; and frequent updates are necessary as clinical evidence rapidly emerges.

Efavirenz Pharmacogenetics and Weight Gain Following Switch to Integrase Inhibitor-Containing Regimens.

BACKGROUND: Unwanted weight gain affects some people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) who are prescribed integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs). Mechanisms and risk factors are incompletely understood. METHODS: We utilized 2 cohorts to study pharmacogenetics of weight gain following switch from efavirenz- to INSTI-based regimens. In an observational cohort, we studied weight gain at 48 weeks following switch from efavirenz- to INSTI-based regimens among patients who had been virologically suppressed for at least 2 years at a clinic in the United States. Associations were characterized with CYP2B6 and UGT1A1 genotypes that affect efavirenz and INSTI metabolism, respectively. In a clinical trials cohort, we studied weight gain at 48 weeks among treatment-naive participants who were randomized to receive efavirenz-containing regimens in AIDS Clinical Trials Group studies A5095, A5142, and A5202 and did not receive INSTIs. RESULTS: In the observational cohort (n = 61), CYP2B6 slow metabolizers had greater weight gain after switch (P = .01). This was seen following switch to elvitegravir or raltegravir, but not dolutegravir. UGT1A1 genotype was not associated with weight gain. In the clinical trials cohort (n = 462), CYP2B6 slow metabolizers had lesser weight gain at week 48 among participants receiving efavirenz with tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (P = .001), but not those receiving efavirenz with abacavir (P = .65). Findings were consistent when stratified by race/ethnicity and by sex. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients who switched from efavirenz- to INSTI-based therapy, CYP2B6 genotype was associated with weight gain, possibly reflecting withdrawal of the inhibitory effect of higher efavirenz concentrations on weight gain. The difference by concomitant nucleoside analogue is unexplained.

Long-Acting HIV Drugs for Treatment and Prevention.

Antiretroviral drugs have revolutionized the treatment and prevention of HIV infection; however, adherence is critical for sustained efficacy. Current HIV treatment consists of three-drug regimens, and current HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) consists of a two-drug regimen; both generally require adherence to once-daily dosing. Long-acting formulations are useful in the treatment and prevention of other conditions (e.g., contraceptives, antipsychotics) and help promote adherence. Newer long-acting formulations of approved and investigational antiretroviral drugs in existing and newer mechanistic classes are under study for HIV treatment and prevention, including some phase III trials. Although long-acting antiretroviral drugs hold promise, some clinical challenges exist, including managing side effects, drug-drug interactions, pregnancy, and long-lasting drug concentrations that could lead to the development of drug resistance. This review aims to summarize currently available information on long-acting antiretroviral drugs for HIV treatment and prevention.

Blood component utilization in COVID-19 patients in New York City: Transfusions do not follow the curve.

BACKGROUND: Blood suppliers and transfusion services have worked diligently to maintain an adequate blood supply during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our experience has shown that some COVID-19 inpatients require transfusion support; understanding this need is critical to blood product inventory management. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Hospital-wide and COVID-19 specific inpatient blood product utilization data were collected retrospectively for our network's two tertiary academic medical centers over a 9-week period (March 1, 2020-May 2, 2020), when most inpatients had COVID-19. Utilization data were merged with a COVID-19 patient database to investigate clinical demographic characteristics of transfused COVID-19 inpatients relative to non-transfused ones. RESULTS: Overall, 11 041 COVID-19 patients were admitted and 364 received blood product transfusions for an overall transfusion rate of 3.3%. COVID-19 patients received 1746 blood components in total, the majority of which were red blood cells. COVID-19 patients' weekly transfusion rate increased as the pandemic progressed, possibly reflecting their increased severity of illness. Transfusion was significantly associated with several indicators of severe disease, including mortality, intubation, thrombosis, longer hospital admission, lower hemoglobin and platelet nadirs, and longer prothrombin and activated partial thromboplastin times. As the pandemic progressed, institutional adherence to transfusion guidelines improved for RBC transfusions compared to prior year trends but did not improve for platelets or plasma. CONCLUSION: There is a need to closely monitor the blood product inventory and demand throughout the COVID-19 pandemic as patients' transfusion needs may increase over time. Daily or weekly trending of patients' clinical status and laboratory values may assist blood banks in inventory management.

Viraemia suppressed in HIV-1-infected humans by broadly neutralizing antibody 3BNC117.

HIV-1 immunotherapy with a combination of first generation monoclonal antibodies was largely ineffective in pre-clinical and clinical settings and was therefore abandoned. However, recently developed single-cell-based antibody cloning methods have uncovered a new generation of far more potent broadly neutralizing antibodies to HIV-1 (refs 4, 5). These antibodies can prevent infection and suppress viraemia in humanized mice and nonhuman primates, but their potential for human HIV-1 immunotherapy has not been evaluated. Here we report the results of a first-in-man dose escalation phase 1 clinical trial of 3BNC117, a potent human CD4 binding site antibody, in uninfected and HIV-1-infected individuals. 3BNC117 infusion was well tolerated and demonstrated favourable pharmacokinetics. A single 30 mg kg(-1) infusion of 3BNC117 reduced the viral load in HIV-1-infected individuals by 0.8-2.5 log10 and viraemia remained significantly reduced for 28 days. Emergence of resistant viral strains was variable, with some individuals remaining sensitive to 3BNC117 for a period of 28 days. We conclude that, as a single agent, 3BNC117 is safe and effective in reducing HIV-1 viraemia, and that immunotherapy should be explored as a new modality for HIV-1 prevention, therapy and cure.

Comparable viral decay with initial dolutegravir plus lamivudine versus dolutegravir-based triple therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To expand understanding of the virological potency of initial dolutegravir plus lamivudine dual therapy (dolutegravir/lamivudine), we compared the viral decay seen in the pilot ACTG A5353 study with the decay observed with dolutegravir plus two NRTIs in the SPRING-1 and SINGLE studies, while also exploring the impact of baseline viral load (VL). METHODS: Change in VL from baseline was calculated for timepoints shared by A5353 (n = 120, including 37 participants with pretreatment VL >100000 copies/mL), SPRING-1 (n = 51) and SINGLE (n = 417). The 95% CIs of change from baseline were determined for each observed week, using the mean log10-transformed VL, and compared between the dolutegravir/lamivudine and triple therapy groups using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test for non-inferiority (δ = 0.5). To assess the impact of baseline VL on viral decay, we examined a bi-exponential non-linear mixed-effect model. RESULTS: The mean VL change from baseline to week 24 was -2.9 log10 copies/mL for dolutegravir/lamivudine versus -3.0 log10 copies/mL for dolutegravir-based three-drug therapy (P < 0.001). In the decay model, baseline VL >100000 copies/mL was associated with a slower initial decay rate (d1). A faster initial decay rate was seen with dolutegravir/lamivudine, which was partially offset when baseline VL was >100000 copies/mL as indicated by a significant interaction between baseline VL and drug therapy group. The secondary decay rate (d2) was not significantly different from zero, with no significant associations. CONCLUSIONS: Viral decay with dolutegravir/lamivudine was comparable to viral decay with dolutegravir-based triple therapy, even in individuals with higher pretreatment VL (>100000 copies/mL).

Dolutegravir plus lamivudine for initial treatment of HIV-1-infected participants with HIV-1 RNA <500 000 copies/mL: week 48 outcomes from ACTG 5353.

BACKGROUND: The AIDS Clinical Trials Group study A5353 demonstrated the efficacy and safety of dolutegravir and lamivudine for initial treatment of HIV-1 infection at week 24 in individuals with HIV-1 RNA 1000-500 000 copies/mL. Optimal ART for treatment-naive individuals must be durable. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to estimate the efficacy and safety of dolutegravir plus lamivudine at week 48 and compare the efficacy in participants with baseline HIV-1 RNA ≤100 000 copies/mL versus >100 000 copies/mL. METHODS: Virological success was defined as HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL by FDA Snapshot criteria. Definition of virological failure included confirmed HIV-1 RNA >200 copies/mL at week 24 or later. The proportion of participants with virological success was estimated using two-sided exact Clopper-Pearson 95% CI. Comparison between screening HIV-1 RNA (≤100 000 versus >100 000 copies/mL) strata was carried out by Fisher's exact test. The study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02582684. RESULTS: A total of 120 enrolled eligible participants were included in the analysis. At week 48, 102 of the 120 participants (85%; 95% CI 77%-91%) had virological success. Virological success was similar between screening HIV-1 RNA groups. Six (5%) participants had virological non-success and one additional participant experienced virological failure while on study but off study treatment. No new drug resistance mutations were observed. Six (5%) participants had study-related grade 3 or higher adverse events and none discontinued study treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results add to the evidence that dolutegravir plus lamivudine is a safe and effective option for initial ART in individuals with HIV-1 RNA <500 000 copies/mL.

The Control of HIV After Antiretroviral Medication Pause (CHAMP) Study: Posttreatment Controllers Identified From 14 Clinical Studies.

Background: HIV posttreatment controllers are rare individuals who start antiretroviral therapy (ART), but maintain HIV suppression after treatment interruption. The frequency of posttreatment control and posttreatment interruption viral dynamics have not been well characterized. Methods: Posttreatment controllers were identified from 14 studies and defined as individuals who underwent treatment interruption with viral loads ≤400 copies/mL at two-thirds or more of time points for ≥24 weeks. Viral load and CD4+ cell dynamics were compared between posttreatment controllers and noncontrollers. Results: Of the 67 posttreatment controllers identified, 38 initiated ART during early HIV infection. Posttreatment controllers were more frequently identified in those treated during early versus chronic infection (13% vs 4%, P < .001). In posttreatment controllers with weekly viral load monitoring, 45% had a peak posttreatment interruption viral load of ≥1000 copies/mL and 33% had a peak viral load ≥10000 copies/mL. Of posttreatment controllers, 55% maintained HIV control for 2 years, with approximately 20% maintaining control for ≥5 years. Conclusions: Posttreatment control was more commonly identified amongst early treated individuals, frequently characterized by early transient viral rebound and heterogeneous durability of HIV remission. These results may provide mechanistic insights and have implications for the design of trials aimed at achieving HIV remission.

ACTG A5353: A Pilot Study of Dolutegravir Plus Lamivudine for Initial Treatment of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 (HIV-1)-infected Participants With HIV-1 RNA <500000 Copies/mL.

Background: Limited data exist on initial human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) treatment with dolutegravir plus lamivudine. Methods: A5353 is a phase 2, single-arm, pilot study of once-daily dolutegravir (50 mg) plus lamivudine (300 mg) in treatment-naive participants with HIV-1 RNA ≥1000 and <500000 copies/mL. Exclusion criteria included active hepatitis B or major protease, reverse transcriptase, or integrase resistance. The primary efficacy measure was the proportion with HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL (FDA [US Food and Drug Administration] Snapshot) at week 24. Virologic failure (VF) was confirmed HIV-1 RNA >400 copies/mL at week 16/20 or >200 copies/mL at or after week 24. Dolutegravir levels and drug resistance testing were performed at VF. Results: One hundred and twenty participants (87% male, median age 30 years, 37 (31%) HIV-1 RNA >100000 copies/mL) initiated study treatment. Median entry HIV-1 RNA and CD4 count were 4.61 log10 copies/mL and 387 cells/mm3. Virologic efficacy at week 24 was 108/120 (90%, confidence interval [83%, 95%]), with comparable results in the >100000 copies/mL and ≤100000 copies/mL strata, that is, 89% (75%, 97%) and 90% (82%, 96%), respectively. Three participants with VF, had undetected plasma dolutegravir at ≥1 time points; the M184V and R263R/K mutations developed in 1 participant. Two participants experienced grade 3 possible/probable treatment-related adverse events; none discontinued treatment due to adverse events. Conclusions: Dolutegravir plus lamivudine demonstrated efficacy in individuals with pretreatment HIV-1 RNA up to 500000 copies/mL in this pilot trial, but a participant developed resistance mutations. Clinical Trials Registration: NCT02582684.