Intermittent Bictegravir/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide Treatment Maintains High Level of Viral Suppression in Virally Suppressed People Living with HIV

Abstract

In this observational study, we aimed to evaluate whether bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (B/F/TAF) administered 5 or 4 days a week is able to maintain viral suppression in people living with HIV (PLHIV). We enrolled 85 patients who initiated intermittent B/F/TAF between 28 November 2018 and 30 July 2020: median (IQR) age 52 years (46–59), duration of virological suppression 9 years (3–13), CD4 633/mm3 (461–781). Median follow-up was 101 weeks (82–111). The virological success rate (no virological failure [VF]: confirmed plasma viral load [pVL] ≥ 50 copies/mL, or single pVL ≥ 200 copies/mL, or ≥50 copies/mL with ART change) was 100% (95%CI 95.8–100) and the strategy success rate (pVL p = 0.02). In conclusion, our findings suggest that B/F/TAF administered 5 or 4 days a week could maintain the control of HIV replication in virologically suppressed PLHIV while reducing cumulative exposition of ART.

Keywords

• HIV
• antiretroviral therapy
• intermittent
• people living with HIV