Merck HIV inhibitor displays ‘significant viral load reduction’

Merck has announced that its investigational oral HIV inhibitor MK-0618 has yielded “significant reduction” in viral load.

MK-0518 is part of a new class of investigational antiretroviral therapy agents named integrase inhibitors that prevent HIV viral DNA from being inserted into human DNA. This blocks propagation of the disease by hindering the virus’ ability to replicate and infect new cells.

Interim data from a newly-conducted 24-week period phase II trial stated that MK-0518 taken twice daily in conjunction with tenofovir and Iamivudine led to comparable viral load reduction to under 50 copies/mL of HIV RNA. This was observed in around 85 to 95 per cent of patients, in comparison to trials of efavirenz taken once daily with the same combination of agents which was effective in 92 per cent of patients.

HIV-infected patients with genotypic susceptibility to the agents were tested in the trials and those receiving MK-0518 displayed levels of less than 50 copies/mL in comparison with those given the efavirenz treatement.

Martin Markowitz, clinical director and staff investigator at the Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre, led the study into the drug

“This early study showed a rapid and significant reduction in viral load up to 24 weeks with MK-0518 in treatment-na?ve patients,” he said.

In this study MK-0518 was generally well tolerated. This study should lend further insight into the potential of HIV integrase inhibitors as a new and exciting class of antiretroviral agents,” he continued.

Previous trials of integrase inhibitors have suffered since multiple mutations of HIV have led to resistance against the drugs. The first integrase inhibitor to enter clinical development, S-1360, suffered from theis problem, states HIVandhepatitis.com.

Trials of the oral agent found several mutations arose while the integrase was being administered, though susceptibility did fall from tow to around 62-fold. Clinicians have since stated that the drug is of potential interest when designing the next generation of anti-HIV drugs.”

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