BMS announces results from Castle study

Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMS) has announced results from the Castle study which has shown similar efficacy between once-daily Reyataz (Atazanavir Sulphate) / Ritonavir and twice daily Lopinavir / Ritonavir for previously untreated HIV-infected patients.

The pharmaceutical company also highlight that 78 per cent of the of the 440 patients in the Reyataz arm met the primary endpoint of achieving undetectable viral load at 48 weeks compared with 76 per cent in the Lopinavir arm.

Castle is the first large-scale study designed to demonstrate the non-inferiority of the Reyataz to Lopinavir in previously untreated HIV-infected adult patients.

Jean-Michel Molina from the Hospital Saint Louis in Paris, said that the study provided important additional data to “inform” the use of a once-daily regimen including Reyataz and Ritonavir.

“When choosing a treatment in previously untreated patients, it is important to ensure antiviral activity as well as tolerability to optimise the management of HIV infection over the long term,” he added.

Reyataz is currently indicated in the European Union for use in treatment-experience HIV-infected patients rather than in treatment-naive HIV-infected patients.

Earlier this month, BMS chief executive officer James M Cornelius reported a “strong” performance for the company in the fourth quarter of 2007.