Clinical pharmacology of the single tablet regimen bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF)

Abstract

The fourth HIV strand-transfer integrase inhibitor (INSTI) has been released into the market as part of a single-tablet-regimen (STR) consisting of bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide (BIC/FTC/TAF). The newest component is thus BIC, a booster-free INSTI with pharmacological characteristics similar to those of dolutegravir (DTG), including high intrinsic antiretroviral potency. The BIC-containing STR underwent clinical development in both treatment-naive and virologically suppressed patients and was found non-inferior to DTG-based comparator arms. In the currently evolving therapeutic scenario, the BIC/FTC/TAF STR regimen represents the smartest response on the side of triple conventional regimens, while new 2-drug regimens have received regulatory approval and nowadays epitomize the search for simpler and lighter antiretroviral regimens. The overall characteristics of BIC/FTC/TAF, however, make this therapeutic option quite comparable in terms of simplicity to the newly approved dual regimens, and the main reasons (e.g., toxicity) accounting in the past for the search of regimens consisting of less than three drugs are no longer in place.