BMS HIV drug reduces viral load ‘regardless of gender’

Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has released results from a subanalysis of a recent study which show Reyataz (atazanavir sulphate) taken with lopinavi/r as part of HIV combination therapy showed similar results in HIV-1 patients who were treatment-naive, regardless of gender.

In the study, patients were administered with once-daily boosted Reyataz (Reyataz 300mg taken with 100mg of ritonavir) and twice-daily coformulated lopinavir/r (lopinavir 400mg and ritonavir 100mg) as part of their treatment regimen and showed similar viral load results at 48-weeks along gender lines.

The Castle trial involved 606 men and 277 women from 29 countries worldwide, with results from the gender subanalysis presented at the International Aids Conference in Mexico City.

Dawn Averitt Bridge, founder and chair of the board of the Well Project, said: “It is very important for women to be involved in clinical research so we can better understand efficacy and tolerability of antiretroviral therapy in women.”

She added the recent subanalysis has made a major contribution to this understanding.

BMS first announced the results of the Castle study in February 2008, presenting similar efficacy between once-daily Reyataz/ritonavir and twice-daily Lopinavir/ritonavir in previously untreated patients with HIV.