Boehringer Ingelheim Reports Superior Efficacy For Viramune

Boehringer Ingelheim has declared results from the Arten trial at the 5th International AIDS Society conference in Cape Town, South Africa. The study demonstrated non-inferiority regarding efficacy between Viramune (nevirapine) and ritonavir boosted atazanavir (atazanavir/r), both combined with tenofovir and emtricitabine (Truvada ).

Arten study was conducted to compare two frequently prescribed lipid friendly, antiretrovirals (ARVs) – atazanavir and viramune. Viramune increased absolute HDL-c to more than two fold the value achieved with atazanavir/r (9.7mg/dL vs 3.9mg/dL (P<0.0001). Also, the total cholesterol over HDL-c ratio was significantly in favour of Viramune (P<0.0001), said the company.

The study also sought to establish whether the combination itself was an effective treatment option for patients with a high viral load. Results showed that the combination of Viramune with Truvada achieved undetectable viral load, as early as in two consecutive office visits prior to week 48 in 67% of patients versus 65% (atazanavir/r + Truvada).

Manfred Haehl, senior vice president of Medicine at Boehringer Ingelheim, said “Arten now clearly provides additional reassurance for physicians to treat with more confidence patients with a Viramune and Truvada combination.”