[Efficacy of atazanavir in simplification regimens]

Abstract

Atazanavir is a new azapeptide protease inhibitor with a remarkable pharmacokinetic profile, which means it can be administered in only two capsules once per day in combination with other antiretrovirals. Its strong antiviral efficacy is also accompanied by an excellent tolerance profile and no significant increase in cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The immunological and virological response obtained with atazanavir or atazanavir/ritonavir, in naive patients as well as in patients with previous virological failure with other protease inhibitors, is excellent. Atazanavir is an attractive drug for therapeutic simplification. Besides maintaining virological suppression, patients who change from other PI to atazanavir experience reductions in total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol and triglycerides. Preliminary data suggest that simplified maintenance treatment with atazanavir/ritonavir in monotherapy, can effectively maintain virological suppression in selected patients.