Simplification to single-tablet regimen of elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, tenofovir DF from multi-tablet ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor plus coformulated emtricitabine and tenofovir DF regimens: week 96 results of STRATEGY-PI.

BACKGROUND: Antiretroviral therapy (ART) simplification to a single-tablet regimen can benefit HIV-1-infected, virologically suppressed, individuals on ART composed of multiple pills. OBJECTIVE: We assessed long-term efficacy and safety of switching to co-formulated elvitegravir, cobicistat, emtricitabine, and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (E/C/F/TDF) from multi-tablet ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitor (PI + RTV) plus F/TDF (TVD) regimens. METHODS: STRATEGY-PI was a 96-week, phase 3b, randomized (2:1), open-label, non-inferiority study examining the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of switching to E/C/F/TDF from PI + RTV + TVD regimens in virologically suppressed individuals (HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL). Participants were randomized to switch to E/C/F/TDF (switch group) or to continue their PI + RTV + TVD regimens (no-switch group). Eligibility criteria included no resistance to F/TDF or history of virologic failure, and estimated creatinine clearance ≥70 mL/min. RESULTS: At week 96, 87% (252/290) of switch and 70% (97/139) of no-switch participants maintained HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL (difference: 17%, 95% CI 8.7-26.0%, p < 0.001). Superiority of the switch to E/C/F/TDF vs. no-switch was due to a smaller proportion of both virologic failures (switch, 1% [3/290]; no-switch, 6% [8/139]) and discontinuations for non-virologic reasons (switch, 11% [31/290]; no-switch, 24% [33/139]). No treatment-emergent resistance was observed in switch subjects with virologic failure. Discontinuation rates from adverse events were 3% in both groups (9/293, switch; 4/140, no-switch). Switching from PI + RTV + TVD to E/C/F/TDF was associated with significant improvements in patient-reported outcomes related to gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea and bloating). CONCLUSION: E/C/F/TDF is a safe, effective long-term alternative to multi-tablet PI + RTV + TVD-based regimens in virologically suppressed, HIV-1-infected adults, and improves patient-reported gastrointestinal symptoms.

Efficacy and Safety of Elvitegravir/Cobicistat/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate in Asian Subjects with Human Immunodeficiency Virus 1 Infection: A Sub-Analysis of Phase 3 Clinical Trials.

The efficacy and safety of a single tablet regimen (STR) of elvitegravir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (E/C/F/TDF) were analyzed in Phase 3 clinical trials in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naïve and ART-experienced Asian subjects infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1. Studies GS-US-236-102 and GS-US-236-103 were randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, 144-week studies conducted in ART-naïve subjects, comparing E/C/F/TDF versus efavirenz (EFV)/F/TDF or ritonavir-boosted atazanavir (ATV+RTV) plus emtricitabine/tenofovir DF (F/TDF), respectively. Studies GS-US-236-115 and GS-US-236-121 were randomized, open-label, 96-week long conducted in ART-experienced subjects, who switched to E/C/F/TDF from ritonavir-boosted protease inhibitors (PI+RTV)+F/TDF, or non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI)+F/TDF regimens. The E/C/F/TDF appeared to have sustained efficacy and safety and was well tolerated in the small number of ART-naïve and ART-experienced Asian subjects.

RIBBON-2: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III trial evaluating the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy for second-line treatment of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-negative metastatic breast cancer.

PURPOSE: This phase III study compared the efficacy and safety of bevacizumab combined with standard chemotherapy regimens versus chemotherapy alone as second-line treatment of patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) -negative metastatic breast cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients were randomly assigned 2:1 to chemotherapy + bevacizumab or to chemotherapy + placebo. Before random assignment, investigators chose capecitabine, a taxane (paclitaxel, nab-paclitaxel, or docetaxel), gemcitabine, or vinorelbine. Dosing for bevacizumab or placebo was 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks or 10 mg/kg every 2 weeks, depending on chemotherapy regimen. The primary end point was progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary end points included overall survival, PFS by chemotherapy cohort, objective response rate (ORR), duration of objective response, 1-year survival rate, and safety. RESULTS: RIBBON-2 enrolled 684 patients (225, chemotherapy + placebo; 459, chemotherapy + bevacizumab). The combination of bevacizumab with chemotherapy demonstrated a statistically significant benefit. Median PFS increased from 5.1 to 7.2 months (stratified hazard ratio for PFS, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.93; P = .0072). The 10% improvement in ORR between the placebo- and bevacizumab-containing arms (39.5% v 29.6%; P = .0193), although not statistically significant, was consistent with previous trials. There was no statistically significant difference in overall survival. The most common grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AEs) related to bevacizumab treatment were hypertension (9.0%) and proteinuria (3.1%). There was an increased number of AEs leading to study discontinuation in the chemotherapy + bevacizumab arm compared with the chemotherapy + placebo arm (13.3% v 7.2%). CONCLUSION: The combination of bevacizumab with commonly used chemotherapies improved PFS in the second-line treatment of patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer, with a safety profile comparable with that in prior phase III studies.