NCT04653194

Brief Summary

The administration of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) to HIV-infected patients has been associated with a dramatic reduction in AIDS-related morbidity and mortality. Time to cART start is currently approximately 2-4 weeks after diagnosis, mostly deferred for reasons of waiting for baseline blood test results; in particular HIV genotype, CD4 count, OI screen and logistics of a consultant clinical review. Whilst there is a clear rationale for this delay there is a risk of loss to follow-up as well as the potential risk of onward viral transmission. The balance between "readiness" to start ART against pragmatic and practical safe initiation of treatment needs to be tested using currently available safe potent antiretroviral agents in a head-to-head comparison study to allow careful rigorous comparisons of outcomes. This study will recruit 36 newly diagnosed HIV patients to be started on treatment immediately upon diagnosis. This would optimally be within 7 days, for eligibility to the study up to 14 days will be permissible. Patients will be randomised to one of two open-label combination therapies known to be highly effective; Biktarvy or Symtuza. The patients will receive study treatment for 48 weeks. The two therapies will be compared by the change in HIV viral load from start of treatment to 12 weeks. Further clinical data will be recorded for the trial patients and exploratory investigations undertaken. As those recruited to the trial may not be representative of the full cohort of newly diagnosed HIV patients there will also be data collected on all newly diagnosed patients in a given period. This data will contribute to conclusions on the benefits and issues of implementing test and treat.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
36

participants targeted

Target at below P25 for phase_3

Timeline
Completed

Started Sep 2020

Typical duration for phase_3

Geographic Reach
1 country

3 active sites

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 30, 2020

Completed
2 months until next milestone

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

November 27, 2020

Completed
7 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

December 4, 2020

Completed
2.7 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

July 30, 2023

Completed
1 day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

July 31, 2023

Completed
Last Updated

February 8, 2024

Status Verified

January 1, 2024

Enrollment Period

2.8 years

First QC Date

November 27, 2020

Last Update Submit

February 7, 2024

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Rate of HIV viral load response to first-line anti-retroviral treatment

    Change from baseline to week 12 in log10 HIV RNA level recorded in viral load assays.

    Baseline to 12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • Absolute efficacy in achieving viral suppression of newly diagnosed HIV infection.

    2 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 48 weeks

  • Adverse events occurrence

    Baseline to 48 weeks

  • Viral resistance occurrence

    Baseline to 48 weeks

Study Arms (2)

Biktarvy treatment

EXPERIMENTAL

First-line HIV treatment of Biktarvy OD for 48 weeks

Drug: Biktarvy

Symtuza treatment

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

First-line HIV treatment of Symtuza OD for 48 weeks

Drug: Symtuza

Interventions

Combination single tablet anti-retroviral therapy: bictegravir 50mg/emtricitabine 200mg/tenofovir alafenamide 25mg

Biktarvy treatment

Combination single tablet anti-retroviral therapy: darunavir 800mg/cobicistat 150mg/emtricitabine 200mg/tenofovir alafenamide 10mg

Symtuza treatment

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Is male or female aged 18 years or over.
  • Confirmed diagnosis of HIV-1 as per local clinic definition less than 14 days before day treatment is to be initiated.
  • Is capable of giving informed consent.
  • Is willing to comply with the protocol requirements
  • A female may be eligible to enter and participate in the study if she:
  • is of non-child-bearing potential defined as either post-menopausal (12 months of spontaneous amenorrhea and ≥ 45 years of age) or physically incapable of becoming pregnant with documented tubal ligation, hysterectomy or bilateral oophorectomy or,
  • is of child-bearing potential with a negative pregnancy test at Screening (\& baseline visit) and agrees to use one of the methods of contraception to avoid pregnancy indicated in Appendix 4 during the study and for a period of 12 weeks after the study.
  • Men who have partners who are women of childbearing potential (WOCBP - definition in Appendix 4) must be using an adequate method of contraception as listed in Appendix 4 to avoid pregnancy in their partner throughout the study and for a period of at least 12 weeks after the study;

You may not qualify if:

  • Infected by HIV-2
  • On PEP
  • Use of medications that are know to interact with either treatment B or S
  • Unstable health conditions that according to the opinion of the Investigator suggest the individual should not take part in the trial (including unstable liver diseases, possible opportunistic infections, etc)
  • Women planning pregnancy or who are pregnant or breast feeding. (NB: See section 4.4; Withdrawal Criteria and Section 10.4; Collection and Follow up of Adverse Events if pregnancy does occur in a trial subject)
  • Known acute or chronic viral hepatitis including, but not limited to, A, B, or C
  • Any investigational drug within 30 days prior to the trial drug administration
  • Any other condition (including illicit drug use or alcohol abuse) or laboratory results which, in the investigator's opinion, interfere with assessments or completion of the trial.

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (3)

Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust Lawson Unit Royal Sussex County Hospital

Brighton, BN2 5BE, United Kingdom

Location

Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

London, SW10 9NH, United Kingdom

Location

Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

London, United Kingdom

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Khawaja AA, Whitlock G, Fidler S, Soler-Carracedo A, Henderson M, Taylor GP, Boffito M, Emerson M. Evaluation of the effect of 48 weeks of BIC/F/TAF and DRV/c/F/TAF on platelet function in the context of rapid ART start. HIV Res Clin Pract. 2025 Dec;26(1):2447015. doi: 10.1080/25787489.2024.2447015. Epub 2025 Jan 7.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Interventions

bictegravir, emtricitabine, tenofovir alafenamide, drug combinationsymtuza

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

HIV InfectionsBlood-Borne InfectionsCommunicable DiseasesInfectionsSexually Transmitted Diseases, ViralSexually Transmitted DiseasesLentivirus InfectionsRetroviridae InfectionsRNA Virus InfectionsVirus DiseasesSlow Virus DiseasesGenital DiseasesUrogenital DiseasesImmunologic Deficiency SyndromesImmune System Diseases

Study Officials

  • Marta Boffito, MD PhD FRCP

    Chelsea and Westminster NHS Foundation Trust

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
phase 3
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
TREATMENT
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Model Details: Open-label 1:1 non-inferiority randomised clinical trial
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

November 27, 2020

First Posted

December 4, 2020

Study Start

September 30, 2020

Primary Completion

July 30, 2023

Study Completion

July 31, 2023

Last Updated

February 8, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-01

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will not share

Locations