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.”