Safety and efficacy of treatment simplification to Atazanavir/ritonavir plus Lamivudine in patients on two NRTIs plus Atazanavir/ritonavir with optimal virologic control: 24 weeks results from a pilot study (Atazanavir and Lamivudine Simplification Study, ATLAS) De Luca A1,2, Bracciale L1, Doino M1, Fabbiani M1, Sidella L1, Marzocchetti A1, Farina S1, D’Avino A1, Cauda R1, Di Giambenedetto S1 1Institute of Clinical Infectious Diseases, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy 2Infectious Diseases Unit, Siena University Hospital, Siena, Italy Introduction • Long term toxicity and costs of cART highlight the need of treatment simplification strategies • Monotherapy with boosted PIs has been investigated with controversial results • Dual therapy could be a suitable option in certain patients Atazanavir/ritonavir + lamivudine • Tolerability: – ATV is a PI with a low metabolic impact; – 3TC generally very well tolerated. • Once daily administration • Relatively limited pill burden • Relatively limited costs ATLAS • Pilot study (40 patients) – Prospective single-arm, single center, 48 weeks – Safety and tolerability – Max allowed failure rate (confirmed VL>50 cp/mL): 12.5% – Enrolment June 2009 – May 2010 – Clinicaltrials.gov NCT00885482 • Inclusion criteria: – Patients on ATV/rit + 2 NRTIs from at least 3 months – HIV-RNA <50 copies/mL from at least 3 months – CD4 >200 cells/µL from at least 6 months ATLAS • Exclusion criteria: – Previous virological failure of 3TC or PIcontaining regimens or exposure to mono-dual NRTI – Virological failure with other regimens but a GRT with any RAM to 3TC or ATV – Proton pump inhibitors co-administration – HBsAg positive – Pregnancy ATLAS: study procedures • At baseline simplification to ATV/rit 300/100 mg OD + 3TC 300 mg OD • Follow up visits at 4, 12, 24, 36 and 48 weeks • At each visit: chemistry, CD4 and HIV-RNA, TDM, self reported adherence (VAS) • At baseline and at 48 weeks: Quality of Life, self-reported symptoms, Neurocognitive assessment, Bone density (DXA), Fat distribution (DXA, Liposound), carotid IMT and endothelial function (brachial FMD) Population: baseline characteristics (n=40) Age (years)* Male sex Foreign born Injecting drug users HCV co-infection Past AIDS-defining events Time from HIV diagnosis (years)* Time (years) from starting cART* Time (years) from starting last cART regimen* Tenofovir-containing NRTI backbone CD4 cells count (cells/µL)* CD4 cells count nadir (cells/µL)* Time (months) with viral load <50 copies/mL* n (%) 45 (41-52) 23 (57.5) 2 (5) 9 (22.5) 8 (20) 9 (22.5) 11.4 (7.1-15.2) 8.5 (6.3-10.2) 2.6 (1.7-4.2) 39 (97.5) 598 (483-778) 108 (45-223) 21 (10-30) Values are expressed as n (%) except for *median (IQR) Results of 24 weeks interim analysis • 40/40 patients completed Week 4, 38/40 Week 12, 36/40 week 24 • All patients maintained an HIV-RNA<50copies/mL, without viremic blips • No significant modifications of CD4 cells count Proportion of patients with HIV-RNA<50copies/mL 120 100 100% 100% 100% 100% 80 60 40 20 0 BL Week 4 Week 12 Week 24 Changes in CD4 cells count P=0.458 P=0.402 P=0.277 Severe clinical adverse events A total of 5 severe adverse events were observed in 5 patients : • 2 renal colic • 1 hypertensive crisis • 1 brain hemorrhage • 1 pregnancy (the only dropped patient) Laboratory toxicity • 14 patients with baseline grade 3 elevation of total bilirubin • New grade 3 laboratory toxicities were observed in 18 pts Grade 3 toxicities at baseline New Grade 3 toxicities Week 4 Total bilirubin 14/40 (35%) 6/25 (24%) Total Cholesterol 2/38 (5.3%) LDL 2/35 (5.7%) Triglycerides 1/38 (2.6%) Amylases Week 12 Week 24 9/24 (37.5%) 6/21 (28.6%) 3/38 (7.9%) 1/36 (2.8%) 4/33 (12.2%) 2/35 (5.7%) 1/38 (2.6%) 1/33 (3%) Total patients 13 3 4 1 1 Mean change (mg/dL) Cholesterol changes from baseline +20 +21 P<0.01 for all parameters at all time points +18 +17 +13 +9 +4 +3 +4 Baseline Week 4 Week 12 Week 24 TC/HDL 4.3 (3.5-5.4) 4.2 (3.5-5.5) 4.4 (3.5-5.6) 4.4 (3.5-5.6) HDL/LDL 0.4 (0.3-0.5) 0.4 (0.3-0.5) 0.4 (0.3-0.5) 0.4 (0.3-0.5) p ns ns Triglycerides changes from baseline P=0.442 P=0.126 P=0.342 -0.04 P=0.020 -0.06 P=0.012 -0.08 P<0.001 Mean change (mL/min/1.73m2) Mean change (mg/dl) Renal function change from baseline +6 P=0.097 +6 P<0.001 +4 P=0.017 Mean change (mg/dL) Bilirubin change from baseline +0.3 P=0.07 +0.3 P=0.04 +0.1 P=0.7 +0.1 P=0.5 +0 P=0.8 +0.1 P=0.6 Changes in ATV plasma levels (C24h or C12h) P=0.664 P=0.469 P=0.925 Patients BL 36 W4 32 W12 28 W24 25 ATV geometric mean (GM) 2.21 (0.22-5.76) 2.46 (0.63-5.70) 2.82 (0.48-7.58) 2.20 (0.04-10.2) concentration (95% CI), mg/L GM relative changes - +11.3% +27.6% -0.5% Conclusions • Simplification regimen with ATV/rit+3TC maintained virological suppression through 24 weeks • 2 severe adverse events possibly related to drugs (renal colic); no severe laboratory adverse event; bilirubin increased temporarily. • TC, HDL and LDL increased (a lipid-lowering effect of TDF was recently suggested)*; TC/HDL and HDL/LDL ratios were unchanged. • Renal function improved significantly (probably due to TDF discontinuation) *Tungsiripat M. AIDS. 2010 Jul 17;24:1781-4 Conclusions • 48 weeks efficacy and safety results are necessary to confirm preliminary safety and efficacy of simplification to ATV/r+3TC • Results will form the basis for definitive testing of this strategy in a randomized controlled trial.