Rilpivirine and complera: new first-line treatment options

Two antiretroviral medicines recently came on the scene for people starting HIV treatment for the first time: Rilpivirine (brand name Edurant) won marketing approval in May, and the following August saw approval of Complera, a single-pill once-daily regimen that joins rilpivirine with two other drugs. This article explains the science behind rilpivirine and Complera and how these drugs measure up to the commonly prescribed efavirenz (Sustiva) and Atripla. lines for the Use of Antiretroviral Agents in HIV-1-Infected Adults and Adolescents, published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), currently lists efavirenz plus tenofovir/emtricitabine as the "preferred" NNRTI-based regimen for people starting antiretroviral therapy (ART) for the first time. In fact, the DHHS guidelines have listed efavirenz as a component of preferred starter regimens since 1998--a reflection of the drug's potency and long-lasting effects. Yet efavirenz has downsides, most famously its association with central nervous system side effects like dizziness