Maraviroc is part of a class of drugs known as CCR5 inhibitors and works in a new way to existing therapies. The drug blocks the virus’ entry to cells T cells, a type of white blood cell, so that the HIV virus can no longer replicate.
The drug was examined in two phase III trials. The first trial that showed 60.4% of those who took maraviroc achieved a level of less than 400 HIV copies per milliliter of blood, compared to 54.7% on a once-daily dose and 31.4% on background therapy.
The second trial found that 61.3% of twice-daily maraviroc patients achieved target HIV levels, compared with 55.5% on once-daily dose and 23.1% treated with other drugs.
“HIV therapies have, for so long, focused on people needing drugs for their initial treatment. But there is a huge and growing number of people who’ve failed on first and second-line therapies, who need other drugs later on”, said Michael Carter, an HIV expert from the UK’s National Aids Manual.