Abstract
BackgroundThe tablet formulation of ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (LPV/r; Kaletra®) has many advantages over the soft gel capsule (SGC) formulation, including lower pill count, no refrigeration requirement, and no dietary restrictions. These advantages may help improve patient compliance and therefore increase adherence to treatment. However, there are limited data regarding patient preferences and only recently was the comparative efficacy and tolerability data of LPV/r SGC versus tablet formulation presented at an international conference. To address this deficit, we conducted a market research survey to assess potential tolerability benefits, patient satisfaction, changes in adherence, and formulation preference in patients switching from SGCs to the tablet formulation. Data from 332 patients who switched from LPV/r SGCs twice-daily (BID) to tablets BID and 41 patients who switched from LPV/r SGCs BID or once daily (QD) to tablets QD were analyzed.ResultsSwitching from SGCs to a tablet formulation of LPV/r was associated with increased patient satisfaction, tolerability and self-reported adherence to treatment; gastrointestinal side effects were reduced. In addition, respondents indicated that they preferred the tablet formulation to the SGC.ConclusionThe LPV/r tablet formulation provides HIV-infected patients with multiple benefits over the SGC in terms of tolerability and convenience. Additional assessments to further define the tolerability profile of the LPV/r tablet, including studies using once-daily dosing, are warranted.
Highlights
Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r, Kaletra®), a co-formulation of lopinavir (LPV) and ritonavir (RTV), is a protease inhibitor (PI) used in the treatment of HIV infection
We report the results of a market research survey, which was designed to assess the differences in tolerability benefits, patient satisfaction, changes in adherence, and formulation preference in patients switching from LPV/r soft gel capsule (SGC) to tablets
More than 80% of the respondents had received antiretroviral therapy (ART) for more than one year, received LPV/r SGCs for more than one year, and received tablets for less than three months
Summary
Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r, Kaletra®), a co-formulation of lopinavir (LPV) and ritonavir (RTV), is a protease inhibitor (PI) used in the treatment of HIV infection. The tablet formulation of ritonavir-boosted lopinavir (LPV/r; Kaletra®) has many advantages over the soft gel capsule (SGC) formulation, including lower pill count, no refrigeration requirement, and no dietary restrictions. These advantages may help improve patient compliance and increase adherence to treatment. There are limited data regarding patient preferences and only recently was the comparative efficacy and tolerability data of LPV/r SGC versus tablet formulation presented at an international conference. To address this deficit, we conducted a market research survey to assess potential tolerability benefits, patient satisfaction, changes in adherence, and formulation preference in patients switching from SGCs to the tablet formulation. Data from 332 patients who switched from LPV/r SGCs twice-daily (BID) to tablets BID and 41 patients who switched from LPV/r SGCs BID or once daily (QD) to tablets QD were analyzed
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