Doravirine/Islatravir for HIV

(DELILAH Trial)

This trial investigates a new HIV treatment using two drugs, Doravirine and Islatravir, to determine if they can slow biological aging in people with HIV. Researchers aim to compare this treatment to current standard therapies to assess its effectiveness and potential side effects. Suitable candidates for the trial include those living with HIV-1 who have been on antiretroviral therapy for at least two years and have shown stable virus levels (low HIV RNA) in recent tests. As a Phase 2 trial, this research focuses on evaluating the treatment's effectiveness in an initial, smaller group of participants.

Previous studies have shown promising safety results for the combination of doravirine and islatravir. Research indicates that patients tolerate the treatment well. For example, one study found that the safety and tolerability of doravirine/islatravir were similar to other HIV treatments over 96 weeks, with no major differences in side effects. This suggests the combination is relatively safe to use. Although some patients stopped treatment in another study, these discontinuations were not necessarily due to serious side effects. Overall, previous research has generally found the doravirine/islatravir combination to be well-received in terms of safety.¹²³⁴⁵

Researchers are excited about Doravirine and Islatravir for HIV because they offer a fresh approach to treatment. Unlike standard therapies that typically combine multiple drugs, Islatravir is a novel nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitor (NRTTI) with a unique mechanism that blocks the virus from copying itself. Doravirine, on the other hand, is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) that complements this action by further inhibiting viral replication. Together, these drugs could simplify treatment regimens and improve adherence, potentially enhancing the quality of life for people living with HIV.

This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of doravirine and islatravir in treating HIV. Studies have shown that this combination is effective, with 72.2% of participants achieving very low virus levels in their blood. Another study found that 92% of people maintained low virus levels after switching to this treatment. These results suggest that doravirine and islatravir together help control the virus. The treatment is also well-tolerated, meaning most people don't experience severe side effects. Overall, research indicates that this combination could be a promising option for managing HIV.¹²⁴⁵⁶