Elzi L, Kaufmann G, Weber R et al.; Swiss HIV Cohort Study. HIV Clin Trials 2009;10:207–14.
The results of this study showed that enfuvirtide retains significant activity within treatment-experienced HIV-infected patients and that discontinuation leads to high rates of failure of the residual regimen. However, if enfuvirtide is replaced with a new antiretroviral agent such as maraviroc, raltegravir, or darunavir, the rates of failure are significantly reduced.
Enfuvirtide, the first HIV fusion inhibitor, represents a milestone in HIV drug development as it has enabled effective suppression of HIV viral load to <50 copies/mL in many highly antiretroviral-experienced patients. However, prolonged use of the drug is problematic due to injection-site reactions that persist in many patients causing painful and unsightly indurations at the site of injections.