A new pro-drug formulation of the widely used nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitor analog tenofovir (Viread, also in the Truvada, Atripla, Complera, and Stribild combination pills) worked as well as the existing formulation, but appears to have less potential for kidney and bone toxicity, according to a presentation Tuesday at the 20th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2013) in Atlanta.
Andrew Zolopa from Stanford University and colleagues compared the new tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) in a quadruple regimen versus the current tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) in the Stribild coformulation (elvitegravir/cobicistat/tenofovir/emtricitabine).
Speaking at a CROI press conference on “Antiretroviral Therapy: New Agents and New Insights,” Zolopa explained that TAF showed less detrimental effects on markers of renal function compared with TDF, explaining that the kidneys are exposed to approximately 90% less tenofovir using the new formulation.
Source: HIVandHepatitis.com.
