The study seeks to understand how anti-HIV drug Biktarvy, which contains the drugs tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), emtricitabine (FTC), and bictegravir (BIC) is absorbed and how long it persists in different body compartments, including mucosal tissues, as it may be considered for PrEP or PEP regimens in the future.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) continue to be disproportionately affected by HIV. The majority of MSM acquire HIV after exposure to the rectal mucosa through receptive anal intercourse without condoms. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) are recommended for MSM who may be exposed to HIV to prevent infection. Current recommendations for PrEP are to take the combination anti-HIV drug, tenofovir+emtricitabine (TDF/FTC), on a daily basis for the duration of someone's HIV risk exposure period, which could be months or years. For PEP, a three-drug anti-HIV medication is recommended within 72 hours of a possible exposure for a 28-day course. While PrEP and PEP are effective, some people find it difficult to follow the recommended regimen. Therefore, additional short-course dosing regimens for PrEP and PEP are being considered for future development. The study drug provided in this study will not protect participants from HIV or treat any active infection. This proposal seeks to understand how other anti-HIV medications are absorbed and how long they persist in different body compartments, including mucosal tissues, as they may be considered for PrEP or PEP regimens in the future. Participants will be sequentially enrolled into study arms. All participants will take two doses of Biktarvy and then will have biological samples collected at different time points. Blood will be collected at three different time points and a rectal biopsy will occur once. Participants may participate in more than one study arm or subgroup; however, at least 6 weeks must lapse after completion of one study arm or subgroup, before entry into another. Median drug levels of TAF, FTC, and BIC in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and rectal tissues will be calculated at baseline, 24 hours after the first dose and 120 hours after the first dose as the primary outcomes of this study. Samples collected at other time points will be stored for future exploratory analyses.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
20
Participants will be given two doses of the oral fixed dose combination anti-HIV medication Biktarvy (BIC/FTC/TAF) separated by 24 hours. The first dose is given in the clinic and participants are instructed to take the second dose at home, 24 hours after the first dose.
Hope Clinic
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Median Drug Levels in Plasma
Median drug levels of tenofovir (TFV), emtricitabine (FTC), and bictegravir (BIC) in plasma were determined. Concentrations below the limit of quantification (LOQ) are assigned a value of zero. The prespecified outcomes of interest are plasma concentrations of the components of Biktarvy at 24 and 120 hours after the initial dose. All other time points of sample collection are for future exploratory analyses and have not been analyzed. Only the time points of sample collection that were prespecified as primary study outcomes are presented here.
Time frame: Baseline (pre-dosing), 24 hours after the first dose, and 120 hours after first dose
Median Drug Concentration in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs)
Median drug concentrations of tenofovir-diphosphate (TFV-DP) and emtricitabine-triphosphate (FTC-TP) in PBMCs were determined. Concentrations below the limit of quantification (LOQ) are assigned a value of zero. The prespecified outcomes of interest are PBMC concentrations of the components of Biktarvy at 24 and 120 hours after the initial dose. All other time points of sample collection are for future exploratory analyses and have not been analyzed. Only the time points of sample collection that were prespecified as primary study outcomes are presented here.
Time frame: Baseline (pre-dosing), 24 hours after the first dose, and 120 hours after first dose
Median Drug Levels in Rectal Tissues
Median drug levels of TFV, FTC, and BIC in rectal tissue were determined. Concentrations below the limit of quantification (LOQ) are assigned a value of zero. The prespecified outcomes of interest are rectal tissue concentrations of the components of Biktarvy at 24 and 120 hours after the initial dose. All other time points of sample collection are for future exploratory analyses and have not been analyzed. Only the time points of sample collection that were prespecified as primary study outcomes are presented here.
Time frame: Baseline (pre-dosing), 24 hours after the first dose, and 120 hours after first dose
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