DOLUTEGRAVIR​ SODIUM TABLETS FOR ORAL SUSPENSION 10mg

Indications

• HIV infection without resistance to other inhibitors of HIV integrase
• HIV infection in patients with resistance to other inhibitors of HIV integrase (specialist use only)

Dosage

Children: Refer to BNF for Children for appropriate dosing.

Adults: 50 mg once daily.

Mechanism of action

Dolutegravir inhibits the HIV integrase enzyme by binding to its active site, blocking the strand transfer step of retroviral DNA integration into the host cell genome. This step is essential for the replication of HIV, and by preventing this integration, dolutegravir effectively inhibits viral activity and replication.

Pharmacodynamics

Clinical trials have demonstrated that dolutegravir leads to a rapid and dose-dependent reduction of HIV-1 RNA in infected subjects. The antiviral response can be sustained for several days following the last dose, indicating its long half-life and strong binding affinity. This characteristic contributes to a high barrier to the development of resistance, making dolutegravir a potent option in combination therapy regimens.

Pharmacokinetics

Dolutegravir exhibits favorable pharmacokinetics, with a mean elimination half-life of approximately 14 hours. It is well absorbed following oral administration, with food enhancing its bioavailability. The drug is metabolized primarily by UGT1A1 and UGT1A9 enzymatic pathways, and it is excreted mainly via feces. Drug interactions may occur, particularly with medications that induce or inhibit UGT enzymes.

Contra-indications

• Hypersensitivity to dolutegravir or any of its excipients

Adverse effects

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Drowsiness
• Increased weight
• Skin reactions
• Sleep disorders
• Hepatotoxicity
• Pancreatitis
• Osteonecrosis

Interactions

• Moderate increase in exposure with dopaminergic receptor agonists
• Moderate increase in exposure with pramipexole
• Moderate increase in exposure with metformin
• Moderate increase in exposure with atazanavir
• Unknown decrease in exposure with carbamazepine
• Unknown decrease in exposure with oxcarbazepine
• Unknown decrease in exposure with phenytoin
• Unknown decrease in exposure with primidone
• Unknown increase in exposure with encorafenib
• Unknown increase in concentration with fampridine

Precautions

• Use with caution in patients with HIV-1 subtype A6/A1, or BMI of 30 kg/m2 or more
• Caution in severe hepatic impairment
• Patients or carers should be advised on how to recognize signs of hypersensitivity

Pregnancy

Avoid unless potential benefit outweighs risk, no information available.

Breast-feeding

Avoid; may be present in milk for up to 12 months or longer after last prolonged-release injection.

Storage

Store in a cool, dry place, away from direct light.

Formulations

• Tablets: 50 mg and 30 mg
• Powder and solvent for solution for injection

Mechanism of action

Dolutegravir is an HIV-1 antiviral agent. It inhibits HIV integrase by binding to the active site and blocking the strand transfer step of retroviral DNA integration in the host cell. The strand transfer step is essential in the HIV replication cycle and results in the inhibition of viral activity. Dolutegravir has a mean EC50 value of 0.5 nM (0.21 ng/mL) to 2.1 nM (0.85 ng/mL) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and MT-4 cells. Dolutegravir inhibits HIV integrase by binding to the integrase active site and blocking the strand transfer step of retroviral deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) integration which is essential for the HIV replication cycle. Strand transfer biochemical assays using purified HIV-1 integrase and pre-processed substrate DNA resulted in IC50 values of 2.7 nM and 12.6 nM.

Pharmacodynamics

HIV-1 infected subjects on dolutegravir monotherapy demonstrated rapid and dose-dependent reduction of antiviral activity with declines of HIV-1 RNA copies per ml. The antiviral response was maintained for 3 to 4 days after the last dose. The sustained response obtained in clinical trials indicates that dolutegravir has a tight binding and longer dissociative half-life providing it a high barrier to resistance. The combination therapy (ripivirine and dolutegravir) presented the same viral suppression found in previous three-drug therapies without integrase strand transfer inhibitor mutations or rilpivirine resistance.