Initial Supplementary Dose of Dolutegravir in Second-Line Antiretroviral Therapy: A Noncomparative, Double-Blind, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial

Background Dolutegravir concentrations are reduced by efavirenz induction effect necessitating twice-daily dolutegravir dosing when coadministered. Efavirenz induction persists for several weeks after stopping, which could potentially select for dolutegravir resistance if switching occurred with unsuppressed human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) RNA levels and standard dolutegravir dosing. We evaluated the need for a lead-in supplementary dolutegravir dose in adults failing first-line tenofovir-emtricitabine-efavirenz (TEE). Methods We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 trial in Khayelitsha, South Africa. Eligible patients had virologic failure (2 consecutive HIV-1 RNA >= 1000 copies/mL) on first-line TEE. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to switch to tenofovir-lamivudine-dolutegravir (TLD) with a supplementary 50 mg dolutegravir dose or placebo taken 12 hours later for 14 days. Primary outcome was proportion with HIV-1 RNA Results One hundred thirty participants were randomized (65 to each arm). Median baseline HIV-1 RNA was 4.0 log(10) copies/mL and 76% had baseline resistance to both tenofovir and lamivudine. One participant died and 2 were lost to follow-up. At week 24, 55 of 64 (86% [95% confidence interval {CI}: 75%-93%]) in the supplementary dolutegravir arm and 53 of 65 (82% [95% CI: 70%-90%]) in the placebo arm had HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL. Grade 3 or 4 adverse events were similar in frequency between arms. None of 6 participants (3 in each arm) eligible for resistance testing by 24 weeks developed dolutegravir resistance. Conclusions Our findings do not support the need for initial dolutegravir dose adjustment in patients switching to TLD who failed first-line TEE. Among adults switching to second-line tenofovir-lamivudine-dolutegravir with unsuppressed HIV-1 RNA levels and substantial baseline nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor resistance, a high proportion achieved virologic suppression. Clinical Trials Registration. NCT03991013