ViiV Steals A March On Gilead with HIV Doublet Data

24 Jul 2018

• By Sten Stovall

ViiV Healthcare intends to seek regulatory approval for a fixed-dose combination of Tivicay and Epivir later this year based on positive 48-week data from the GEMINI studies in treating HIV that analysts say have helped to lift key uncertainties about the treatment and boost ViiV's competitive position versus key rival Gilead Sciences, which has favored triplet therapy.

3D Illustration of Immune System cells attacking a HIV Virus. — ViiV's GEMINI 1 & 2 studies met their primary endpoint in HIV • Source: Shutterstock

ViiV Healthcare 's two-drug approach to treating HIV received a solid boost from its updated GEMINI 1 and 2 studies which at the 48-week juncture met their primary endpoint and, importantly, yielded data that analysts said should counter fears of lower efficacy in high viral loads and the higher theoretical risk of resistance generation from the duo regimen compared with a three-drug combination.

The evidence was contained in an update on the ongoing and identical GEMINI 1 and 2 studies which showed the...