Dive Brief:
- Bristol-Myers Squibb has announced overall antiviral activity and safety results from its phase 2a proof-of-concept study of BMS-955176, a second-generation maturation inhibitor.
- BMS-955176 was tested both as monotherapy and as part of combination therapy, across patient subtypes---including patients with HIV-1 subtype B and subtype C.
- The first generation of maturation inhibitors were plagued by problems such as adverse events and drug-drug interactions.
Dive Insight:
BMS-955176 is being heralded as the first of a new class of drugs, despite the fact that it is considered second generation. Although maturation inhibition has been studied as a mode of action (MOA) for at least 10 years, there are currently no approved maturation inhibitors available.
BMS-955176 was studied alone and in combination with various drugs, including atazanavir, ritonavir, tenofovir and emtricitabine. Overall, it demonstrated potent antiviral activity, with no serious adverse events.
Roughly 1.2 million Americans and 34 million people worldwide are HIV-infected. Because of the nature of the virus, which continues to mutate and develop resistance against antiviral interventions, new treatment options are always needed to help patients---especially treatment-experienced patients---stay ahead of the virus. BMS is moving into phase 3 with BMS-955176, with the goal of introducing a new therapeutic treatment option for these patients.