Safety and Efficacy Study Comparing Raltegravir to a Protease Inhibitor in Treatment-naïve, HIV/Hepatitis C Drug Users
Information source: St. James's Hospital, Ireland
ClinicalTrials.gov processed this data on August 23, 2015 Link to the current ClinicalTrials.gov record.
Condition(s) targeted: HIV Infections; Hepatitis C
Intervention: Raltegravir (Drug); Atazanavir/Ritonavir (Drug)
Phase: Phase 4
Status: Recruiting
Sponsored by: St. James's Hospital, Ireland Official(s) and/or principal investigator(s): Colm Bergin, MD, FRCPI, Principal Investigator, Affiliation: Department of Genitourinary Medicine and Infectious Diseases, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland
Overall contact: Colm Bergin, MD, FRCPI, Phone: +35314162507, Email: cbergin@stjames.ie
Summary
The purpose of this study is to compare how safe, tolerable, and effective a novel drug,
raltegravir, is to a commonly used combination, atazanavir/ritonavir, as initial treatment
in HIV/Hepatitis C co-infected injecting drug users on a methadone program.
Clinical Details
Official title: An Open-label, Randomised Pilot Study Comparing the Efficacy, Safety and Tolerability of Raltegravir With Protease Inhibitor-based Therapy in Treatment-naïve, HIV/Hepatitis C Co-infected Injecting Drug Users Receiving Methadone
Study design: Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Safety/Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Open Label, Primary Purpose: Treatment
Primary outcome: Incidence of grade 3-4 liver function test (LFT) elevationsIncidence of grade 3-4 liver function test (LFT) elevations Incidence of grade 3-4 liver function test (LFT) elevations Incidence of grade 3-4 liver function test (LFT) elevations Incidence of grade 3-4 liver function test (LFT) elevations Incidence of grade 3-4 liver function test (LFT) elevations Incidence of grade 3-4 liver function test (LFT) elevations Incidence of grade 3-4 liver function test (LFT) elevations Incidence of grade 3-4 liver function test (LFT) elevations Viral suppression
Secondary outcome: Viral suppressionImmunologic response Overall safety in patients with mild to moderate hepatic impairment Outpatient retention rates QTc interval changes Immunologic response Immunologic response
Detailed description:
Raltegravir is an HIV-1 integrase inhibitor that is currently licensed for use in
treatment-experienced HIV-1 patients and recently approved for use in treatment-naïve
patients. Recent data has shown that the virologic response in patients on raltegravir with
no history of antiretroviral treatment (ART) was equal to efavirenz-based therapy at
96-weeks (combined with tenofovir/lamivudine). Moreover, raltegravir demonstrated greater
immunologic effect, had fewer adverse side effects and had a neutral effect on lipid levels.
Further support for first-line use comes from recent 48-week data of a subgroup analyses of
the STARTMRK Phase III study comparing raltegravir to efavirenz-based therapy (with
tenofovir/emtricitabine) in treatment-naïve patients that showed non-inferior virologic and
immunologic efficacy with raltegravir. There were significantly fewer overall and
drug-related clinical adverse events in the raltegravir group and a similar safety profile
in patients with hepatitis B and/or C co-infection. These findings suggest that use of
raltegravir as a component of initial therapy might be beneficial in patients with
significant co-morbidities such as hepatitis C and in situations where there is concern of
interactions between antiretrovirals and other drugs.
Injecting drug users (IDUs) represent a patient group where there are formidable challenges
in HIV treatment. Difficulties in management arise not only from substance abuse but also
because of high rates of social instability and psychiatric co-morbidities. Furthermore,
many in this patient group have hepatitis C co-infection. These confounding factors
negatively impact adherence to, and ultimately the efficacy of treatment and can affect
physician perception when prescribing antiretrovirals. Concurrent methadone therapy further
complicates HIV treatment because of its potential side effects and interactions with
antiretrovirals. However, methadone maintenance therapy also represents an important
opportunity to engage patients in consistent medical care and has been shown to improve
adherence to antiretroviral treatment and thus viral suppression.
The incidence of co-infection with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in IDUs is high. An
estimated 50-90% of IDUs in the U. S. are co-infected with HIV/Hepatitis C according to the
Center for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV co-infection aggravates the natural course
of HCV infection. In a meta-analysis of the effect of HIV on the progression of HCV liver
disease compared to mono-infection with HCV, the relative risk of end-stage liver disease
(ESLD) and cirrhosis with HIV co-infection was found to be 6. 14 and 2. 07, respectively.
Difficulties arise in the treatment of HIV with respect to HCV liver disease. Drug
hepatotoxicity is a major concern in the selection of an appropriate antiretroviral regimen.
Optimising therapy in this patient group necessitates a balance between retroviral
suppression and minimising hepatic side effects.
Raltegravir is predominantly metabolised by hepatic glucuronidation via the uridine
diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) isozyme. A small component is renally
excreted (~9%). In three double-blind, randomised studies of pharmacokinetics, safety and
tolerability, raltegravir was found to be rapidly absorbed with a terminal half-life of 7-12
hours. It exhibited potent in vitro inhibition with a 95% inhibitory concentration (IC95) =
33nM in 50% human serum. Pharmacokinetic analyses of various dosing regimens supported the
use of twice daily dosing of multiple doses of 100mg and greater. Results from a study
investigating once daily dosing are pending.
Hepatic impairment is less likely to affect UGT1A1 metabolism in comparison to other liver
metabolic pathways. A recent study evaluated the effect of liver impairment on raltegravir
pharmacokinetics in 20 HIV-negative patients (ten patients with moderate hepatic
insufficiency and ten healthy, matched controls). The geometric mean ratios (GMR: mean
value for the group with moderate hepatic insufficiency/mean value for the healthy controls)
and 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for the area under the concentration-time curve from time
zero to infinity (AUC0- ∞ ), the maximum concentration of drug in plasma (Cmax), and the
concentration at 12 h (C12) were 0. 86 (90% CI, 0. 41, 1. 77), 0. 63 (90% CI, 0. 23, 1. 70), and
1. 26 (90% CI, 0. 65, 2. 43), respectively. The study authors determined that liver impairment
produced no clinically significant effects on raltegravir pharmacokinetics and therefore no
dose adjustments are needed for mild to moderate hepatic insufficiency.
Protease inhibitors, such as atazanavir, are extensively metabolised via hepatic cytochrome
P450 (CYP) 3A isozymes. In patients with hepatic insufficiency, dose adjustments of PIs or
consideration of alternative therapies may be necessary. Atazanavir is also a potent
inhibitor of CYP3A and therefore has a potential to cause drug interactions .
Concerns regarding adverse cardiac effects of antiretroviral therapy have recently emerged.
Protease inhibitors have been associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction
that is partially due to dyslipidaemia. Ritonavir-boosted atazanavir is commonly used as
part of combination treatment in IDUs because of its modest effect on lipid levels and also
due to the simplicity of once daily dosing. However, it has other associated risk factors
and intolerability due to hyperbilirubinaemia is also an issue.
There is also growing concern with reports of long QT syndrome and torsade de pointes in
IDUs. This patient group have several risk factors that increase their susceptibility.
Methadone is well recognised to cause long QT syndrome and torsades de pointes through
inhibition of a cardiac potassium channel, the major component of which is encoded by the
human ether-a-go-go gene (HERG). Multiple HERG polymorphisms have been identified that are
clinically silent but may confer vulnerability to arrhythmia by a triggering event.
Protease inhibitors also have the potential to cause QT prolongation. This may be mediated
by direct effects on HERG channels or by potentiating the effects of other drugs through
inhibition of CYP3A, or both. Concurrent use of protease inhibitors and methadone might
pose an additive risk of QT prolongation and a few cases have been reported recently.
Additionally, co-infection with hepatitis C is also recognised to prolong the QT interval.
Raltegravir has been shown to have no effect on the QT interval in a single,
supratherapeutic dose in humans and in multiple doses in an animal model. It also exhibits
negligible inhibition of HERG current in vitro and has been found to have little to no
effect on cytochrome P450 enzymes.
In summary, efficacious virologic and immunologic response, safe use in hepatic impairment,
non-inhibition of CYP enzymes, lack of QT effect, and favourable lipid and side effect
profile indicate that raltegravir could be a preferred option for first-line treatment in
this patient group.
This study will be carried out as a Phase 4, Multi-Centre Open Label, Investigator Led,
Randomised Pilot Study to compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of raltegravir
(Isentressâ„¢) with protease inhibitor-based therapy atazanavir/ritonavir (Reyatazâ„¢/Norvirâ„¢)
in treatment naïve, HIV/Hepatitis C co-infected injecting drug users receiving methadone.
Patients who are attending a drug treatment clinic, who are on methadone maintenance
therapy, who fulfill standard criteria to receive antiretroviral therapy (ART) and who meet
all other study specific eligibility criteria will be invited to participate in the study.
Eligible patients, who are willing to participate in the study and who agree to comply with
all study treatments and procedures, will be randomized to treatment with either:
1. Raltegravir 400mg PO twice daily; or
2. Atazanavir/ritonavir 300mg/100mg PO once daily over a 96 week treatment period.
As per the recommended guidelines, both treatment regimes will be combined with a nucleoside
reverse-transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) backbone of tenofovir and emtricitabine, but can be
changed due to toxicities as per the discretion of the investigator or other medically
qualified designee.
The total study duration for subjects completing the entire study will be approximately 100
weeks. During this time subjects will attend the clinic for 11 study visits at Baseline,
Weeks 4, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 and 96 and an End of Study Visit, 4 weeks post
completion of treatment.
Subjects' participation in this study will end following the End of Study Visit (or early
withdrawal visit if applicable). Once subjects have completed their participation in this
study they will be treated as per routine standard care for this patient population.
Written informed consent will be obtained prior to any study procedures being conducted.
Patients will have an initial baseline assessment prior to treatment initiation. This will
include a medical history, physical examination and electrocardiogram. Baseline laboratory
tests will include a resistance profile, CD4 count, viral load, hepatitis C status, full
blood count, liver blood tests and renal profile.
Patients will be re-assessed at 4, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, 84 and 96 weeks post initiation
for treatment efficacy, safety, tolerability and compliance. Follow-up blood tests will be
drawn to assess virological and immunological response to treatment as well as routine blood
tests to detect hepatitis C status, liver/renal toxicities and haematological abnormalities.
ECG evaluation for QT abnormalities will be performed at baseline and at weeks 4, 12, 48 and
96. A follow up safety visit will be conducted 4 weeks post completion of therapy.
Monitoring for adverse events will take place throughout the study period and continuity of
care, as per standard medical care for this patient population, maintained after the
patients have completed the study at the respective sites.
Eligibility
Minimum age: 18 Years.
Maximum age: N/A.
Gender(s): Both.
Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:
- Male or Female Patients Age ≥ 18 years old.
- Naïve to antiretroviral treatment.
- Subject must be willing and able to understand and provide written, informed consent
prior to participation in the study.
- Subjects must be on concurrent methadone maintenance therapy.
- Documented HIV infection (antibody positive).
- Documented Hepatitis C co-infection (PCR positive).
- HIV RNA > 5,000.
- Indication for starting ART according to guidelines.
- Documented resistance profile taken at baseline and includes investigational
medicinal products.
- Females may be eligible for enrolment in the study if she is of:
1. Non-childbearing potential; or, Child-bearing potential females must have a
negative pregnancy test at initial screening and agree to an acceptable barrier
and/or hormonal method of contraception; Sterilization
Exclusion Criteria:
- Subject is in the initial acute phase of a CDC Clinical Category C infection at
Baseline. Subjects may be enrolled provided they are receiving treatment for such
infections and are clinically improving at the Baseline visit.
- Concurrent treatment with an investigational drug or participation in another
clinical trial.
- Use of an investigational drug within 4 weeks or 5 half-lives, whichever is longer,
preceding the first dose of investigational medicinal product.
- Subject is, in the opinion of the investigator, unable to complete the study dosing
period and protocol evaluations and assessments.
- Subject has evidence of genotypic (as defined by the current ANRS AC-11 algorithm)
resistance to raltegravir, atazanavir and ritonavir at screening.
- Patients with alcohol and drug use problems that in the view of investigator will
compromise participation in the study.
- Elevated alanine aminotransferase (ALT) > 5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
- Subjects with severe hepatic impairment (Child-Pugh score > 9).
- Subjects receiving treatment for HCV.
- Subjects with concurrent HBV infection.
- Subject is pregnant or breast feeding.
- Subject suffers from any serious medical condition which would compromise the safety
of the subject.
- Subject has a pre-existing mental, physical, or substance abuse disorder that may
interfere with the subject's ability to comply with the dosing schedule and protocol
evaluations and assessments.
- Subject has a condition or disorder which may interfere with drug absorption or
render the subject unable to take oral medication.
- Subject has any acute laboratory abnormality at screening, which, in the opinion of
the Investigator, would preclude the subject's participation in the study of an
investigational compound. Any verified Grade 4 laboratory abnormality would exclude a
subject from study participation.
- Subject has an estimated creatinine clearance < 50 mL/min via the Cockcroft-Gault
method [Cockcroft, 1976].
- Subject is receiving, or has received within 14 days prior to screen, any drug that
has been classified as 'contraindicated' from use with RAL or ATV/RTV.
- Subject has received treatment with radiation therapy or cytotoxic chemotherapeutic
agents within 28 days prior to Screening, or has an anticipated need for these agents
within the study period.
- Subject has received treatment with an HIV-1 immunotherapeutic vaccine or any agents
with documented activity against HIV-1 in vitro within 28 days prior to screening, or
an anticipated need during the study.
- Subjects who require treatment with any contraindicated medications within 14 days of
commencement of investigational medicinal product, or an anticipated need during the
study.
- Subject has a history of allergy to any of the investigational medicinal products or
any excipients therein.
- Subject has prolonged QTc interval on screening electrocardiogram (repeated
demonstration of a QTc interval >450ms in men and >470ms in women).
Locations and Contacts
Colm Bergin, MD, FRCPI, Phone: +35314162507, Email: cbergin@stjames.ie
Department of Genitourinary Medicine and Infectious Diseases, St. James's Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Recruiting Colm Bergin, MD, FRCPI, Phone: +35314162507, Email: cbergin@stjames.ie James Woo, MB, MRCPI, Phone: +353868108086, Email: wooj@tcd.ie Colm Bergin, MD, FRCPI, Principal Investigator James Woo, MB, MRCPI, Sub-Investigator
Mater Misericordiae University Hospital, Dublin, Ireland; Not yet recruiting Patrick Mallon, MB FRCPI PhD, Phone: +35317166311, Email: Paddy.Mallon@ucd.ie Patrick Mallon, MB FRCPI PhD, Principal Investigator
Additional Information
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Starting date: August 2010
Last updated: July 20, 2011
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