HIV-protease inhibitor darunavir in the schemes of antiretroviral therapy of the first line

The results of open-label, randomized comparative phase III trial (ARTEMIS) concerned with evaluation the possibility of use of HIV protease inhibitor Darunavir, "enhanced" by ritonavir (DRV/r) as a component of antiretroviral therapy (ART) of the first line in patients previously not receiving ART, are presented. After 96 weeks of therapy, the ART scheme with DRV/r was more effective than the ART scheme with lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r), since the proportion of patients with HIV RNA level below 50 copies/ml were 79 and 71% respectively. The use of DRV/r was more effective in patients with initially high viral load (more than 100 thousand copies/ml) or low number of CD4-lymphocytes (less than 200 cells/ml). ARTEMIS study demonstrated good tolerability of both schemes ART for 96 weeks of treatment. Due to the development of adverse events, treatment was discontinued only in 4% of patients receiving DRV/r, and in 9% of patients receiving LPV/r.

HIV infection, antiretroviral therapy, HIV protease inhibitor Darunavir