Merck Mid-stage HIV Study On Islatravir- Doravirine Shows Viral Suppression Maintained

(RTTNews) - Merck & Co Inc. (MRK) said that week-96 data from Phase 2b study demonstrated that a combination of islatravir and doravirine maintained virologic suppression, and the findings were consistent with week 48 results. The study evaluated Islatravir in combination with doravirine in adults with HIV-1 infection.

The company stated that an additional week 96 data from Phase 2b study showed low rates of participants meeting the definition of protocol-defined virologic failure in both the islatravir plus doravirine and the DELSTRIGO treatment arms, and no participants in either arm met the criteria for resistance testing.

In addition, Merck's investigational once-weekly oral non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, MK-8507, showed that the antiviral potency and pharmacokinetics of MK-8507 supported further investigation for once-weekly oral administration as part of combination antiretroviral therapy, as per results from Phase 1/1b studies.

The company advances MK-8507 to Phase 2 investigations in combination with islatravir as a once-weekly oral regimen.