GlaxoSmithKline/Pfizer joint venture reports positive HIV drug data

GlaxoSmithKline and Pfizer's joint venture ViiV Healthcare has announced positive 24-week data from a phase III trial of the new HIV-1 therapy dolutegravir.

The Sailing trial was intended to evaluate the performance of the investigational integrase inhibitor among patients with HIV-1 who are failing on current therapy, but had not been treated with an integrase inhibitor.

It was shown that ViiV Healthcare's therapy was associated with a better rate of virologic suppression than the control drug raltegravir, meeting the trial's primary efficacy endpoint of non-inferiority.

Dr John Pottage, chief scientific and medical officer at ViiV Healthcare, said: "We welcome these initial results supporting the efficacy and tolerability of dolutegravir as a potentially useful addition in the management of HIV in treatment-experienced patients."

Dolutegravir is yet to receive regulatory approval anywhere in the world, but the US Food and Drug Administration gave the new treatment priority review status last month, while the European Medicines Agency is also currently assessing its suitability for authorisation.