Abstract
Effective combination therapy for HIV/AIDS is now available and has made a major impact on HIV-related mortality and morbidity. The effects of even the most active of antiretroviral drugs are hampered by drug resistance and tolerability issues. Darunavir (TMC114), coadministered with low-dose ritonavir (darunavir/r), is a new HIV-1 protease inhibitor that has been designed to be active against both wild-type and multi-resistant virus. Darunavir/r 600/100 mg b.i.d. in a combination antiretroviral regimen in the POWER trials has provided treatment-experienced patients with substantially greater virological and immunological benefits compared with standard of care. This article reviews the presently available data on darunavir, its pharmacology, pharmacokinetics, drug–drug interactions and clinical trial results, as well as examining darunavir from a health economic perspective.
Disclosure
JM Molina has received consulting and lecture fees from Gilead, Roche, Bristol-Myers Squibb, GlaxoSmithKline, Tibotec and Abbott. A Hill is a consultant on contract to Tibotec. This article was independently commissioned.
The authors would like to thank Catherine McCarthy Bragg, Gardiner-Caldwell Communications, for her assistance in drafting the manuscript and collating author contributions, and Erik Smets of Tibotec for contributions to the health outcomes discussion. Financial assistance to support this service was provided by Tibotec.