ViiV HEALTHCARE’S LONG-ACTING HIV TREATMENT CABENUVA (CABOTEGRAVIR + RILPIVIRINE) MEETS PRIMARY ENDPOINT OF SUPERIOR VIRAL SUPPRESSION VS. DAILY ORAL THERAPY IN PEOPLE WITH VIREMIA

London, 6 October – ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority owned by GSK, with Shionogi as a shareholder, today announced the phase IIIb CROWN study met its primary endpoint, demonstrating that at six months, long-acting Cabenuva (cabotegravir + rilpivirine [CAB + RPV LA]) achieved superior rates of viral suppression compared with standard-of-care oral antiretroviral therapy (ART) in adults and adolescents living with HIV-1 who had detectable virus when they entered the study.

Findings build on the LATITUDE study, which demonstrated that CAB + RPV LA was superior to daily oral therapy in maintaining viral suppression among people with HIV who had achieved viral suppression on oral ART but had a history of adherence challenges. CROWN addresses a remaining evidence gap by evaluating direct initiation of the regimen in people who still had detectable virus at study entry and had no evidence of resistance to INSTIs (integrase inhibitors) or NNRTIs (non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors). Use of CAB + RPV LA in people with detectable viremia is investigational and has not been approved by regulatory authorities.

CABENUVA (cabotegravir; rilpivirine) extended-release injectable suspensions
Professional Indication and Important Safety Information

INDICATION

CABENUVA is indicated as a complete regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older and weighing at least 35 kg to replace the current antiretroviral regimen in those who are virologically suppressed (HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL) on a stable antiretroviral regimen with no history of treatment failure and with no known or suspected resistance to either cabotegravir or rilpivirine.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
CONTRAINDICATIONS

• Do not use CABENUVA in patients with previous hypersensitivity reaction to cabotegravir or rilpivirine
• Do not use CABENUVA in patients receiving carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifabutin, rifampin, rifapentine, systemic dexamethasone (>1 dose), and St John’s wort

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS
Hypersensitivity Reactions:

• Serious or severe hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in association with other integrase inhibitors and could occur with CABENUVA
• Hypersensitivity reactions, including cases of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), have been reported during postmarketing experience with rilpivirine-containing regimens. While some skin reactions were accompanied by constitutional symptoms such as fever, other skin reactions were associated with organ dysfunctions, including elevations in hepatic serum biochemistries
• Discontinue CABENUVA immediately if signs or symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions develop. Clinical status, including liver transaminases, should be monitored and appropriate therapy initiated. Cabotegravir and rilpivirine oral lead-in may be used to help identify patients who may be at risk of a hypersensitivity reaction

Post-Injection Reactions:

• Serious post-injection reactions (reported in less than 1% of subjects) were reported within minutes after the injection of rilpivirine, including dyspnea, bronchospasm, agitation, abdominal cramping, rash/urticaria, dizziness, flushing, sweating, oral numbness, changes in blood pressure, and pain (e.g., back and chest). These events may have been associated with accidental intravenous administration and began to resolve within a few minutes after the injection
• Carefully follow the Instructions for Use when preparing and administering CABENUVA. The suspensions should be injected slowly via intramuscular injection and avoid accidental intravenous administration. Observe patients briefly (approximately 10 minutes) after the injection. If a post-injection reaction occurs, monitor and treat as clinically indicated

Hepatotoxicity:

• Hepatotoxicity has been reported in patients receiving cabotegravir or rilpivirine with or without known pre-existing hepatic disease or identifiable risk factors
• Patients with underlying liver disease or marked elevations in transaminases prior to treatment may be at increased risk for worsening or development of transaminase elevations
• Monitoring of liver chemistries is recommended and treatment with CABENUVA should be discontinued if hepatotoxicity is suspected

Depressive Disorders:

• Depressive disorders (including depressed mood, depression, major depression, mood altered, mood swings, dysphoria, negative thoughts, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt) have been reported with CABENUVA or the individual products
• Promptly evaluate patients with depressive symptoms
• Risk of Adverse Reactions or Loss of Virologic Response Due to Drug Interactions:
  • The concomitant use of CABENUVA and other drugs may result in known or potentially significant drug interactions (see Contraindications and Drug Interactions)
  • Rilpivirine doses 3 and 12 times higher than the recommended oral dosage can prolong the QTc interval
  • CABENUVA should be used with caution in combination with drugs with a known risk of Torsade de Pointes

Long-Acting Properties and Potential Associated Risks with CABENUVA:

• Residual concentrations of cabotegravir and rilpivirine may remain in the systemic circulation of patients for prolonged periods (up to 12 months or longer). Select appropriate patients who agree to the required monthly or every-2-month injection dosing schedule because non-adherence could lead to loss of virologic response and development of resistance
• To minimize the potential risk of developing viral resistance, it is essential to initiate an alternative, fully suppressive antiretroviral regimen no later than 1 month after the final injection doses of CABENUVA when dosed monthly and no later than 2 months after the final injections of CABENUVA when dosed every 2 months. If virologic failure is suspected, switch the patient to an alternative regimen as soon as possible

ADVERSE REACTIONS

• The most common adverse reactions in adults (incidence ≥2%, all grades) treated with CABENUVA were injection site reactions, pyrexia, fatigue, headache, musculoskeletal pain, nausea, sleep disorders, dizziness, and rash
• The safety of CABENUVA in adolescents is expected to be similar to adults

DRUG INTERACTIONS

• Refer to the applicable full Prescribing Information for important drug interactions with CABENUVA, VOCABRIA (cabotegravir), or EDURANT (rilpivirine)
• Because CABENUVA is a complete regimen, coadministration with other antiretroviral medications for the treatment of HIV-1 infection is not recommended
• Drugs that are strong inducers of UGT1A1 or UGT1A9 are expected to decrease the plasma concentrations of cabotegravir. Drugs that induce or inhibit CYP3A may affect the plasma concentrations of rilpivirine
• CABENUVA should be used with caution in combination with drugs with a known risk of Torsade de Pointes

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

• Pregnancy: There are insufficient human data on the use of CABENUVA during pregnancy to adequately assess a drug-associated risk for birth defects and miscarriage. Discuss the benefit-risk of using CABENUVA during pregnancy and conception and consider that cabotegravir and rilpivirine are detected in systemic circulation for up to 12 months or longer after discontinuing injections of CABENUVA. An Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry has been established
• Lactation: Potential risks of breastfeeding include HIV-1 transmission, developing viral resistance in HIV-positive infants, and adverse reactions in a breastfed infant

For more information, please see full US Prescribing Information for CABENUVA: https://gskpro.com/content/dam/global/hcpportal/en_US/Prescribing_Information/Cabenuva/pdf/CABENUVA-PI-PIL-IFU2-IFU3.PDF

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