CROI 2014A regimen of Isentress (raltegravir) plus boosted Prezista (darunavir) was comparable in efficacy to a standard treatment with Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine) and Prezista in a recent trial, aidsmap reports. As part of the NEAT 001 study, researchers randomly assigned either Isentress or Truvada, pairing both drugs with Prezista, to 805 treatment-naive study participants with HIV. Ninety-six week results were presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston.

Seventeen percent of those taking Isentress experienced treatment failure, compared with 14 percent of those on Truvada. Because the difference between these two figures was within a pre-set limit of 9 percent, the Isentress regimen was determined non-inferior, or comparable in efficacy, to the Truvada cocktail. However, those who started therapy with less than 200 CD4 cells did more poorly on Isentress: 39 percent failed therapy, compared with 21 percent who did so on Truvada. The difference was statistically significant—although not very strongly so—meaning it probably did not occur by chance.

To read the aidsmap story, click here.