Four New HIV Meds Coming Soon

Antibodies Rule: According to NAM’s AIDSMap, two long-acting monoclonal antibodies — CytoDyn Inc.’s PRO 140 (the drug Charlie Sheen says is keeping him undetectable) and Theratechnologies’ ibalizumab — are successful in preventing HIV from entering human cells. Both have completed Phase III trials and just await Food and Drug Administration approval. These antibodies represent a new class of drugs and offer new treatment options for those who’ve dealt with antiretroviral resistance.

For Those Just Diagnosed: Gilead’s new integrase inhibitor, Bictegravir, reduced viral loads as well as dolutegravir (brand name, Tivicay) in a Phase II clinical trial of the treatment naïve. Integrase inhibitors are the most widely prescribed as the first treatment for those just diagnosed with HIV and those who never started treatment before. Bictegravir is taken once a day, doesn’t interfere with oral contraceptives or a common hepatitis C drug, and it works better on drug resistant strains of HIV than other meds. The next clinical trial of Bictegravir will test a single-tablet regimen, reported AIDSMaps’ Liz Highleyman.

Cholesterol Cures: Also in Phase III, a new non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) medication from Merck was shown to reduce HIV viral loads as well as a boosted protease inhibitor for people who are just starting treatment for the first time. The drug, Doravirine, has an advantage because it has fewer neuropsychiatric and physical side-effects, and it lowers bad cholesterol in the body.