Merck & Co and Gilead highlight new data at international HIV meeting

US pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK)presented new data at the 11th International Congress on HIV and Drug Therapy in HIV Infection (HIV 11) in Glasgow, Scotland, from a post-hoc, subgroup analysis of three double-blind clinical trials, which found Isentress (raltegravir) which demonstrated consistent long-term viral suppression and a well established safety profile in adult patients co-infected with HIV-1 and hepatitis C (HCV) and/or hepatitis B (HBV) when compared to adult patients with HIV-1 at 240 weeks.

These studies were conducted in previously untreated or treatment-naïve (STARTMRK study). Across these studies, moderate-to-severe liver enzyme elevations were more common among patients co-infected with HCV and/or HBV co-infection than among patients infected with HIV-1 alone.

“This new analysis provides valuable insight into the long-term safety and efficacy profile of ISENTRESS in patients co-infected with HIV-1 and HCV and/or HBV,” said Jurgen Rockstroh, University of Bonn, Bonn-Venusberg, Germany, adding: “Co-infection with HCV poses a serious challenge as it affects approximately a third of people globally living with HIV. In addition, HBV affects approximately five to 15% of the global HIV population. Of particular concern are co-infected patients who may be taking multiple therapies, which present issues related to managing potential drug-drug interactions.”