Merck Sharpe and Dohme ISENTRESS tablets study completed

Merck Sharpe and Dohme has revealed that a phase III trial into its ISENTRESS (raltegravir) tablets has been completed.

The integrase inhibitor was studied in comparison to efavirenz in maintaining viral load suppression to undetectable levels and at improving CD4 cell counts in previously untreated HIV-1-infected patients.

It also discovered that 47 per cent of patients taking ISENTRESS experienced drug-related side effects, in comparison to 78 per cent of those receiving the efavirenz-based regimen.

Edwin de Jesus, medical director of the Orlando Immunology Center in Orlando, Florida, said: “Results from the 96 week analysis […] showed that ISENTRESS in combination therapy was as effective as efavirenz at suppressing HIV viral load and increasing immune system function.”

Merck Sharpe and Dohme, the UK arm of Merck and Co, has two sites in the country – headquarters and pharmaceutical research and development laboratories in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire and manufacturing centres in Northumberland.