An indirect comparison of 144-week efficacy, safety, and tolerability of dolutegravir plus lamivudine and second-generation integrase inhibitor–based, 3-drug, single-tablet regimens in therapy-naive people with HIV-1

Abstract

Background The long-term efficacy and safety of the 2-drug regimen dolutegravir (DTG) + lamivudine (3TC) and 3-drug single-tablet regimens recommended for antiretroviral therapy (ART)-naive people with HIV-1 (PWH) have yet to be compared directly in clinical trials. This indirect treatment comparison (ITC) was conducted to compare the durability of efficacy and long-term safety of DTG + 3TC vs second-generation, integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI)-based, 3-drug, single-tablet regimens bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF) and DTG/abacavir/3TC (DTG/ABC/3TC) at Week 144 after treatment initiation. Methods A systematic literature review identified 4 trials evaluating the treatment regimens of interest in ART-naive PWH (GEMINI-1, GEMINI-2, GS-US-380-1489, and GS-US-380-1490). Safety, efficacy, and tolerability results were compared using fixed-effects Bucher ITC methodology to calculate relative outcomes. Results Rates of virologic suppression (HIV-1 RNA < 50 copies/mL, US Food and Drug Administration Snapshot analysis) and virologic failure (HIV-1 RNA ≥ 50 copies/mL) as well as mean change in CD4 + cell count were similar with DTG + 3TC, BIC/FTC/TAF, and DTG/ABC/3TC at Week 144. Serious adverse events occurred less frequently with DTG + 3TC compared with both BIC/FTC/TAF (odds ratio [OR], 0.51; 95% CI 0.29–0.87; P = 0.014) and DTG/ABC/3TC (OR, 0.38; 95% CI 0.19–0.75; P = 0.006). Discontinuations and overall adverse events were similar across all 3 regimens. Conclusions These results suggest that the 2-drug regimen DTG + 3TC offers comparable and durable efficacy with fewer serious adverse events vs BIC/FTC/TAF and DTG/ABC/3TC through 144 weeks of treatment in ART-naive PWH. These long-term comparative data support the therapeutic value of DTG + 3TC for PWH.

Efficacy and safety profiles of dolutegravir plus lamivudine vs. bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide in therapy-naïve adults with HIV-1

“…Results of an indirect treatment comparison have indicated that DTG + 3TC offered similar efficacy with fewer serious adverse events (AEs) than B/F/TAF and dolutegravir/abacavir/lamivudine at week 144 after ART initiation. [10] This finding reflected no observed differences between 3TC + DTG and B/F/TAF in long-term efficacy among treatment naïve PWH. Nevertheless, it is still unknown whether B/F/TAF has a different impact on initial HIV-1 RNA decay kinetics compared to DTG + 3TC in real-life contexts.…”