FTC vs. 3TC — Is There a Difference?

In vitro studies have demonstrated that FTC has greater potency and a more-favorable pharmacokinetic profile than 3TC. Whether these characteristics have any clinical significance is unknown. In this study, investigators examined one potential clinical benefit of FTC — whether it is associated with lower rates of drug-resistance mutations than 3TC in the setting of virologic failure.

Using a national HIV database in Italy, the investigators retrospectively evaluated emerging resistance among 859 individuals who had documented virologic failure, following ≥6 months of suppression, while receiving potent regimens that contained tenofovir plus either 3TC or FTC. 3TC recipients (83% of the study population) were more likely than FTC recipients t…