Gilead Sciences reports positive phase III data for cobicistat

Gilead Sciences has announced positive new clinical trial data from a study of cobicistat, its developmental pharmacoenhancing agent for HIV medicines.

The new compound has met its primary efficacy endpoint of non-inferiority to ritonavir following a 48-week study, in which cobicistat was used to boost the performance of an atazanavir plus Truvada treatment regimen.

Cobicistat is designed to increase blood levels of certain HIV medicines to allow for one pill once-daily dosing, functioning through the inhibition of cytochrome P450 3A, an enzyme that metabolises drugs in the body.

Dr Norbert Bischofberger, executive vice-president for research and development and chief scientific officer at Gilead Sciences, noted that most common protease-based HIV treatments depend on boosting agents to function optimally.

"These results demonstrate that cobicistat may provide patients taking protease-based regimens with a much-needed alternative boosting agent," he added.

Last month, the company was granted European regulatory approval of Eviplera, a new combination therapy for HIV.