POZ news story
An experimental once-daily combination pill containing doravirine and islatravir (DOR/ISL) works as well as the widely used Biktarvy (bictegravir/tenofovir alafenamide/emtricitabine) pill for people starting HIV treatment for the first time, according to study results presented at CROI 2026.
What’s more, updated results from two other late-stage clinical trials show that DOR/ISL continues to maintain viral suppression when people switch from a standard daily oral antiretroviral regimen. Merck has already submitted data from these studies to the Food and Drug Administration, and an approval decision is expected in late April.
Doravirine (sold alone as Pifeltro and part of the Delstrigo coformulation) is a next-generation non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) with a high barrier to resistance. Islatravir is a first-in-class nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitor. Development of islatravir hit a snag in 2021 when some participants in earlier trials saw a decrease in their CD4 T-cell or total lymphocyte counts. But scientists determined that the doses used in those studies were too high, and this side effect has not been seen using the lower dose in the new combination pill.
Merck is evaluating the once-daily single-tablet regimen, which contains 100 milligrams of doravirine and 0.25 mg islatravir, both as a switch option for people with viral suppression and as first-line treatment.
Read the full news story here.
View all POZ reports from CROI 2026
Source : POZ
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