Bristol-My?ers Squibb Presents Promising Phase IIb Data for Novel, Investigat?ional Attachment Inhibitor for HIV-1 Infected Treatment-?Experience?d Patients

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has presented 24-week Phase IIb data that demonstrated similar response rates (HIV-1 RNA <50 c/mL) for its investigational compound, BMS-663068, when compared to a boosted protease inhibitor, Reyataz (atazanavir sulfate) with ritonavir.

Among HIV-1 infected treatment-experienced patients receiving BMS-663068, 69–80% had HIV-1 RNA levels of <50 c/mL (a measure indicating virus replication is undetectable), compared to 75% of patients taking Reyataz with ritonavir. Presented at the 21st Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) yesterday, this study highlights the unique mechanism of action of the investigational prodrug BMS-663068, which when converted into BMS-626529, a novel attachment inhibitor, prevents initial viral attachment to the host CD4+ T cell and entry into the host immune cell.

Globally, there are 34 million people who are infected with HIV. Because of significant scientific advances in management of HIV treatment during the last 20 years, patients are now living with HIV for a longer period of time and some patients have developed resistance to existing regimens or are unable to tolerate current available treatments. Additional treatment options, especially in new drug classes, are needed both today and into the future for these patients.

“By targeting the virus at an earlier step of the viral lifecycle, BMS-663068 disrupts the virus in a way unlike existing antiretroviral agents,” said Jacob P. Lalezari, MD, director of Quest Clinical Research and assistant clinical professor of medicine at UCSF/Mount Zion Hospital. “The data suggest that BMS-663068 is potentially as effective as one of the current standards of care and may provide another method of suppressing the virus in treatment-experienced patients who have failed a prior HIV regimen and need new treatment options.”

For further information about the study, click here.