Three-Year Effectiveness of Bictegravir/Emtricitabine/Tenofovir Alafenamide as a Switch Strategy in the Real World

We previously described the effectiveness of bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (B/F/TAF) as a switch strategy in real life in people with HIV (PWH) at 48 weeks. We did not find that previous nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) had an impact on efficacy. Herein we report response rates after 3 years of follow-up.

This retrospective review comprised PWH who were treatment experienced and switched to B/F/TAF in a single-center cohort. HIV RNA <50 copies/mL was analyzed at 96 and 144 weeks in an intention-to-treat analysis (missing = failure) and per-protocol analysis; patients with missing data or changes for reasons other than virologic failure were excluded.

An overall 506 PWH were included: 16.2% were women, the median age was 52.3 years, the median time of HIV infection was 18.9 years, and 13.6% had documented preexisting NRTI RAMs. At 96 weeks of follow-up in the intention-to-treat and per-protocol analyses, HIV RNA <50 copies/mL was seen in 73.1% and 95.4%, respectively. At 144 weeks, these figures were 68.2% and 94%. There were no statistically significant differences between patients with and without previous NRTI RAMs. A total of 140 patients were excluded for the per-protocol analysis at week 144: 46 were lost to follow-up, 32 discontinued treatment due to toxicity, 34 simplified to dual antiretroviral therapy, 7 switched for other reasons, and 20 patients died (no death was B/F/TAF related).

Through 3 years of follow-up, switching to B/F/TAF maintained high rates of virologic suppression in long-term PWH. These results were seen even in patients with preexisting NRTI RAMs.