Study: ViiV Healthcare's 2-Drug HIV Regimen As Effective As 3

HIV patients may soon be eligible for a less burdensome dosing regimen based on the positive results announced Wednesday by GlaxoSmithKline plc GSK-owned ViiV Healthcare for a late-stage study of its two-drug regimen for the disease. 

What Happened

ViiV Healthcare, in which Pfizer Inc. PFE and SHIONOGI & CO L/ADR SGIOY are also shareholders, announced positive Week 48 results from the Phase 3 TANGO study that evaluated its two-drug regimen in HIV-1 patients.

The study assessed whether adult HIV-1 patients who had maintained viral suppression for at least six months on a tenofovir alafenamide fumarate, or TAF-containing three-drug regimen were able to maintain similar rates of viral suppression after switching to the two-drug regimen of dolutegravir plus lamivudine versus the continuation of the TAF regimen.

The study met the primary endpoint of non-inferiority of the two-drug regimen over the three-drug regimen, according to Viiv. 

The safety profile of the two-drug regimen was consistent with the product labeling for the individual medicines, the company said. 

Why It's Important

The results from the TANGO study are seen as promising for the HIV patients.

"These Week 48 data clearly indicate that they can — individuals who are already on treatment can maintain viral suppression if they switch from a three-drug, TAF-containing regimen to a two-drug regimen of dolutegravir plus lamivudine," Kimberly Smith, head of global research and medical strategy at ViiV Healthcare, said in a statement. 

The company said it will present full results from the study at the 10th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science July 21-24 in Mexico City.

GlaxoSmithKline shares were trading higher by 0.79% at $41.07 at the time of publication Wednesday. 

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