Connection domain mutations in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase do not impact etravirine susceptibility and virologic responses to etravirine-containing regimens.

Connection domain mutations (CDMs) in HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (RT) alter susceptibility to some nucleoside/nonnucleoside RT inhibitors (NRTIs/NNRTIs). Their effects on susceptibility and virologic responses to etravirine were analyzed. Seventeen CDMs were evaluated: L283I, E312Q, G333D, G333E, G335C, G335D, N348I, A360I, A360T, A360V, V365I, T369I, A371V, A376S, I393L, E399D, and E399G. CDM prevalence and effects on virologic responses were analyzed retrospectively using clinical data. The effects on etravirine susceptibility were assessed in clinical samples and confirmed using site-directed mutants. The most prevalent CDMs (>10%) were A371V, E399D, A376S, N348I, A360T, G333E, and L283I. CDM presence was positively correlated with thymidine analogue-associated mutations, but not with NNRTI resistance-associated mutations (RAMs). The presence or number of CDMs did not significantly reduce etravirine susceptibility, although small reductions were seen in samples with G333D, N348I, A360V, T369I, and A376S. N348I, E399G, and N348I/T369I were associated with reduced etravirine susceptibility when present with K103N, L100I, or Y181C. N348I or T369I was associated with reduced etravirine susceptibility when present with K101P or K103R/V179D. Virologic responses to an etravirine-containing regimen were slightly diminished when G333D, G335D, or A376S was present, but this was not confirmed in subgroups with higher baseline resistance or without etravirine RAMs. CDMs alone do not confer substantial reductions in etravirine susceptibility but can further reduce etravirine susceptibility in combination with certain NNRTI mutations. Since virologic responses to etravirine were not affected by CDMs, the clinical impacts of these mutations on etravirine susceptibility appear to be minimal.

Characterization of genotypic and phenotypic changes in HIV-1-infected patients with virologic failure on an etravirine-containing regimen in the DUET-1 and DUET-2 clinical studies.

The randomized, placebo-controlled Phase III DUET studies enrolled treatment-experienced, HIV-1-infected patients. We examined the genotypic and phenotypic changes at endpoint relative to baseline, including the emergence of individual reverse transcriptase (RT) mutations, in patients who received the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) etravirine and experienced virologic failure by rebound by the time of the Week 96 analysis. Patients received etravirine 200 mg twice-daily in combination with a background regimen containing darunavir/ritonavir, investigator-selected nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and optional enfuvirtide. Virologic failure by rebound occurred in 93 (15.5%) etravirine-treated patients (compared with 170 [28.1%] placebo-treated patients). Patients experiencing virologic failure had more baseline antiretroviral resistance and lower activity of the background regimen relative to those not experiencing failure. Emergence of NNRTI resistance-associated mutations was observed in 55 of 93 patients. The most frequently emerging RT mutations were V179F, V179I, and Y181C, with positions K101 and E138 also showing frequent changes. Mutations usually emerged in a background of multiple other NNRTI mutations and were, in most cases, associated with a decrease in phenotypic sensitivity to etravirine at endpoint. Further analysis is needed to clarify the role of mutations at position 138 as determinants of etravirine resistance.

Short communication: activity of etravirine on different HIV type 1 subtypes: in vitro susceptibility in treatment-naive patients and week 48 pooled DUET study data.

Etravirine (ETR) has previously shown potent in vitro activity against different primary HIV-1 isolates and demonstrated durable efficacy in treatment-experienced, HIV-1-infected patients in the Phase III DUET studies. The antiviral activity and efficacy of ETR against HIV-1 subtypes B and non-B were further investigated. The effect of HIV-1 subtype on ETR fold change in EC(50) value (FC) was analyzed in HIV-1 recombinant clinical isolates from 673 treatment-naive patients enrolled in other Tibotec studies. Subgroup analyses from the DUET studies of the effect of HIV-1 subtype on the proportion of patients with viral load (VL) <50 HIV-1 RNA copies/ml were also conducted using pooled week 48 data. Genotype/subtype and phenotype determinations were performed using the vircoTYPE HIV-1 and Antivirogram assays, respectively. In vitro results from treatment-naive patients indicated comparable median ETR FC in virus isolates from patients infected with subtype B or non-B (1.1 vs. 1.2, respectively). HIV-1 subtype data were available for 594 and 595 patients in the ETR and placebo groups of the DUET studies, respectively; 94% of patients harbored subtype B. Baseline characteristics were similar across the different subtypes, with the exception of a higher number of sensitive NRTIs used in patients with subtype non-B. At week 48, virological responses in the ETR group were higher in patients with subtype non-B versus B (73% vs. 60%, respectively). ETR was equally effective in suppressing viral replication in patients infected with HIV-1 subtype B or various HIV-1 non-B subtypes.

Etravirine limits the emergence of darunavir and other protease inhibitor resistance-associated mutations in the DUET trials.

Etravirine is a recently approved nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. The ability of etravirine to limit the emergence of resistance to protease inhibitors, and specifically to darunavir, was investigated in the subset of treatment-experienced patients with virologic rebound in the phase III DUET trials. Of those experiencing rebound, fewer etravirine-treated than placebo-treated patients developed mutations associated with resistance to protease inhibitors in general and to darunavir in particular, and more patients in the etravirine than the placebo-group maintained baseline darunavir susceptibility at endpoint.

Resistance profile of etravirine: combined analysis of baseline genotypic and phenotypic data from the randomized, controlled Phase III clinical studies.

OBJECTIVE: To refine the genotypic and phenotypic correlates of response to the nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor etravirine. DESIGN: Initial analyses identified 13 etravirine resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) and clinical cutoffs (CCOs) for etravirine. A multivariate analysis was performed to refine the initial etravirine RAM list and improve the predictive value of genotypic resistance testing with regard to virologic response and relationship to phenotypic data. METHODS: Week 24 data were pooled from the phase III studies with TMC125 to Demonstrate Undetectable viral load in patients Experienced with ARV Therapy (DUET). The effect of baseline resistance to etravirine on virologic response (<50 HIV-1 RNA copies/ml) was studied in patients not using de-novo enfuvirtide and excluding discontinuations for reasons other than virologic failure (n = 406). Clinical cutoffs for etravirine were established by analysis of covariance models and sliding fold change in 50% effective concentration (EC50) windows (Antivirogram; Virco BVBA, Mechelen, Belgium). Etravirine RAMs were identified as those associated with decreased virologic response/increased etravirine fold change in EC50. Relative weight factors were assigned to the etravirine RAMs using random forest and linear modeling techniques. RESULTS: Baseline etravirine fold change in EC50 predicted virologic response at week 24, with lower and preliminary upper clinical cutoffs of 3.0 and 13.0, respectively. A fold change in EC50 value above which etravirine provided little or no additional efficacy benefit could not be established. Seventeen etravirine RAMs were identified and attributed a relative weight factor accounting for the differential impact on etravirine fold change in EC50. Virologic response was a function of etravirine-weighted genotypic score. CONCLUSION: The weighted genotypic scoring algorithm optimizes resistance interpretations for etravirine and guides treatment decisions regarding its use in treatment-experienced patients.

TMC278, a next-generation nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), active against wild-type and NNRTI-resistant HIV-1.

Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) have proven efficacy against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). However, in the setting of incomplete viral suppression, efavirenz and nevirapine select for resistant viruses. The diarylpyrimidine etravirine has demonstrated durable efficacy for patients infected with NNRTI-resistant HIV-1. A screening strategy used to test NNRTI candidates from the same series as etravirine identified TMC278 (rilpivirine). TMC278 is an NNRTI showing subnanomolar 50% effective concentrations (EC50 values) against wild-type HIV-1 group M isolates (0.07 to 1.01 nM) and nanomolar EC50 values against group O isolates (2.88 to 8.45 nM). Sensitivity to TMC278 was not affected by the presence of most single NNRTI resistance-associated mutations (RAMs), including those at positions 100, 103, 106, 138, 179, 188, 190, 221, 230, and 236. The HIV-1 site-directed mutant with Y181C was sensitive to TMC278, whereas that with K101P or Y181I/V was resistant. In vitro, considerable cross-resistance between TMC278 and etravirine was observed. Sensitivity to TMC278 was observed for 62% of efavirenz- and/or nevirapine-resistant HIV-1 recombinant clinical isolates. TMC278 inhibited viral replication at concentrations at which first-generation NNRTIs could not suppress replication. The rates of selection of TMC278-resistant strains were comparable among HIV-1 group M subtypes. NNRTI RAMs emerging in HIV-1 under selective pressure from TMC278 included combinations of V90I, L100I, K101E, V106A/I, V108I, E138G/K/Q/R, V179F/I, Y181C/I, V189I, G190E, H221Y, F227C, and M230I/L. E138R was identified as a new NNRTI RAM. These in vitro analyses demonstrate that TMC278 is a potent next-generation NNRTI, with a high genetic barrier to resistance development.

Compilation and prevalence of mutations associated with resistance to non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors.

BACKGROUND: Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are an important component of antiretroviral therapy for HIV type-1 (HIV-1)-infected patients. Development of NNRTI resistance can lead to treatment failure and is conferred by the presence of specific resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) in the reverse transcriptase. In addition to the widely used list of NNRTI RAMs provided by the International AIDS Society-USA HIV-1 Drug Resistance Mutation Group, which were identified on the basis of clinical experience with the approved NNRTIs, a more comprehensive list of NNRTI RAMs is needed to guide the study of baseline and emerging resistance to new NNRTIs. METHODS: We conducted an extensive review of the existing literature on NNRTI resistance, together with several in vitro and in vivo studies on the mechanism of HIV-1 resistance to approved NNRTIs and to NNRTIs formerly or currently in clinical development. RESULTS: In total, 44 NNRTI RAMs were identified. These included V90I, A98G, L100I, K1O1E/P/Q, K103H/N/S/T, V106A/I/M, V108I, E138G/K/Q, V179D/E/F/G/I, Y181C/I/V, Y188C/H/L, V189I, G190A/C/E/Q/S, H221Y, P225H, F227C/L, M230I/L, P236L, K238N/T and Y318F. These NNRTI RAMs were observed, either alone or in combination with others, ranging in frequency from 0.02% to 56.96% in a panel of 101,679 NNRTI-resistant isolates submitted to Virco BVBA (Mechelen, Belgium) for routine clinical resistance testing. Phenotypical data from site-directed mutants helped to establish the contribution of each mutation to NNRTI resistance. CONCLUSIONS: The list of 44 NNRTI RAMs compiled in this study provides a comprehensive overview of mutations that play a role in HIV-1 NNRTI resistance and can be used to guide further in vitro and in vivo research on the mechanisms of HIV-1 NNRTI resistance.

TMC125 displays a high genetic barrier to the development of resistance: evidence from in vitro selection experiments.

TMC125 is a potent new investigational nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) that is active against human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) with resistance to currently licensed NNRTIs. Sequential passage experiments with both wild-type virus and NNRTI-resistant virus were performed to identify mutations selected by TMC125 in vitro. In addition to "classic" selection experiments at a low multiplicity of infection (MOI) with increasing concentrations of inhibitors, experiments at a high MOI with fixed concentrations of inhibitors were performed to ensure a standardized comparison between TMC125 and current NNRTIs. Both low- and high-MOI experiments demonstrated that the development of resistance to TMC125 required multiple mutations which frequently conferred cross-resistance to efavirenz and nevirapine. In high-MOI experiments, 1 muM TMC125 completely inhibited the breakthrough of resistant virus from wild-type and NNRTI-resistant HIV-1, in contrast to efavirenz and nevirapine. Furthermore, breakthrough of virus from site-directed mutant (SDM) SDM-K103N/Y181C occurred at the same time or later with TMC125 as breakthrough from wild-type HIV-1 with efavirenz or nevirapine. The selection experiments identified mutations selected by TMC125 that included known NNRTI-associated mutations L100I, Y181C, G190E, M230L, and Y318F and the novel mutations V179I and V179F. Testing the antiviral activity of TMC125 against a panel of SDMs indicated that the impact of these individual mutations on resistance was highly dependent upon the presence and identity of coexisting mutations. These results demonstrate that TMC125 has a unique profile of activity against NNRTI-resistant virus and possesses a high genetic barrier to the development of resistance in vitro.

TMC114, a novel human immunodeficiency virus type 1 protease inhibitor active against protease inhibitor-resistant viruses, including a broad range of clinical isolates.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the antiviral activity, cytotoxicity, and mechanism of action of TMC114, a novel human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) protease inhibitor (PI). TMC114 exhibited potent anti-HIV activity with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 1 to 5 nM and a 90% effective concentration of 2.7 to 13 nM. TMC114 exhibited no cytotoxicity at concentrations up to 100 muM (selectivity index, >20,000). All viruses in a panel of 19 recombinant clinical isolates carrying multiple protease mutations and demonstrating resistance to an average of five other PIs, were susceptible to TMC114, defined as a fold change in EC50 of <4. TMC114 was also effective against the majority of 1,501 PI-resistant recombinant viruses derived from recent clinical samples, with EC50s of <10 nM for 75% of the samples. In sequential passage experiments using HIV-1 LAI, two mutations (R41T and K70E) were selected. One selected virus showed a 10-fold reduction in susceptibility to TMC114, but <10-fold reductions in susceptibility to the current PIs (atazanavir was not assessed), except saquinavir. However, when the selected mutations were introduced into a laboratory strain by site-directed mutagenesis, they had no effect on susceptibility to TMC114 or other PIs. There was no evidence of antagonism between TMC114 and any currently available PIs or reverse transcriptase inhibitors. Combinations with ritonavir, nelfinavir, and amprenavir showed some evidence of synergy. These results suggest that TMC114 is a potential candidate for the treatment of both naive and PI-experienced patients with HIV.

Design, synthesis, and SAR of a novel pyrazinone series with non-nucleoside HIV-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitory activity.

A series of novel pyrazinones designed as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) was synthesized and their anti-HIV structure-activity relationship (SAR) was studied.

Design of HIV-1 protease inhibitors active on multidrug-resistant virus.

On the basis of structural data gathered during our ongoing HIV-1 protease inhibitors program, from which our clinical candidate TMC114 9 was selected, we have discovered new series of fused heteroaromatic sulfonamides. The further extension into the P2' region was aimed at identifying new classes of compounds with an improved broad spectrum activity and acceptable pharmacokinetic properties. Several of these compounds display an exceptional broad spectrum activity against a panel of highly cross-resistant mutants. Certain members of these series exhibit favorable pharmacokinetic profiles in rat and dog. Crystal structures and molecular modeling were used to rationalize the broad spectrum profile resulting from the extension into the P2' pocket of the HIV-1 protease.

Discovery and selection of TMC114, a next generation HIV-1 protease inhibitor.

The screening of known HIV-1 protease inhibitors against a panel of multi-drug-resistant viruses revealed the potent activity of TMC126 on drug-resistant mutants. In comparison to amprenavir, the improved affinity of TMC126 is largely the result of one extra hydrogen bond to the backbone of the protein in the P2 pocket. Modification of the substitution pattern on the phenylsulfonamide P2' substituent of TMC126 created an interesting SAR, with the close analogue TMC114 being found to have a similar antiviral activity against the mutant and the wild-type viruses. X-ray and thermodynamic studies on both wild-type and mutant enzymes showed an extremely high enthalpy driven affinity of TMC114 for HIV-1 protease. In vitro selection of mutants resistant to TMC114 starting from wild-type virus proved to be extremely difficult; this was not the case for other close analogues. Therefore, the extra H-bond to the backbone in the P2 pocket cannot be the only explanation for the interesting antiviral profile of TMC114. Absorption studies in animals indicated that TMC114 has pharmacokinetic properties comparable to currently approved HIV-1 protease inhibitors.

TMC125, a novel next-generation nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor active against nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor-resistant human immunodeficiency virus type 1.

Nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are potent inhibitors of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1); however, currently marketed NNRTIs rapidly select resistant virus, and cross-resistance within the class is extensive. A parallel screening strategy was applied to test candidates from a series of diarylpyrimidines against wild-type and resistant HIV strains carrying clinically relevant mutations. Serum protein binding and metabolic stability were addressed early in the selection process. The emerging clinical candidate, TMC125, was highly active against wild-type HIV-1 (50% effective concentration [EC50] = 1.4 to 4.8 nM) and showed some activity against HIV-2 (EC50 = 3.5 microM). TMC125 also inhibited a series of HIV-1 group M subtypes and circulating recombinant forms and a group O virus. Incubation of TMC125 with human liver microsomal fractions suggested good metabolic stability (15% decrease in drug concentration and 7% decrease in antiviral activity after 120 min). Although TMC125 is highly protein bound, its antiviral effect was not reduced by the presence of 45 mg of human serum albumin/ml, 1 mg of alpha1-acid glycoprotein/ml, or 50% human serum. In an initial screen for activity against a panel of 25 viruses carrying single and double reverse transcriptase amino acid substitutions associated with NNRTI resistance, the EC50 of TMC125 was <5 nM for 19 viruses, including the double mutants K101E+K103N and K103N+Y181C. TMC125 also retained activity (EC50 < 100 nM) against 97% of 1,081 recent clinically derived recombinant viruses resistant to at least one of the currently marketed NNRTIs. TMC125 is a potent next generation NNRTI, with the potential for use in individuals infected with NNRTI-resistant virus.