Abacavir/3TC vs. Tenofovir/FTC: Interim Results from ACTG 5202

An interim analysis from ACTG 5202 suggests that abacavir/3TC is not as effective as tenofovir/FTC in reducing viral load among treatment-naive patients with high viral loads (100,000 or more copies/mL) at baseline.

On February 28, 2008, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) reported that the protocol for ACTG 5202 is being modified because of reduced virologic response in a subset of patients who were receiving abacavir/3TC. This highly anticipated, phase III, multicenter trial involves 1858 HIV-infected adults in the U.S. who were randomized to begin antiretroviral therapy with one of four regimens:

Efavirenz + tenofovir/FTC
Efavirenz + abacavir/3TC
Ritonavir-boosted atazanavir + tenofovir/FTC
Ritonavir-boosted atazanavir + abacavir/3TC

The comparison between NRTI backbones is double-blinded, with patients taking a placebo pill for whichever NRTI combination they are not receiving. The comparison between efavirenz and boosted a…

Author

Helmut Albrecht, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Leadership positions in professional societiesColumbia Medical Society; South Carolina Infectious Diseases Society

Helmut Albrecht, MD

Disclosures

Grant / Research supportHealth Resources and Services Administration; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Leadership positions in professional societiesColumbia Medical Society; South Carolina Infectious Diseases Society

Abacavir/3TC vs. Tenofovir/FTC: Interim Results from ACTG 5202

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