Comparison of Doravirine, Tenofovir, Lamivudine (MK-1439A) and ATRIPLA™ in Treatment-Naive Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1)-Infected Participants (MK-1439A-021) (DRIVE-AHEAD)
![]() |
The safety and scientific validity of this study is the responsibility of the study sponsor and investigators. Listing a study does not mean it has been evaluated by the U.S. Federal Government. Read our disclaimer for details. |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02403674 |
Recruitment Status :
Active, not recruiting
First Posted : March 31, 2015
Results First Posted : April 30, 2018
Last Update Posted : September 16, 2022
|
- Study Details
- Tabular View
- Study Results
- Disclaimer
- How to Read a Study Record
Condition or disease | Intervention/treatment | Phase |
---|---|---|
Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) | Drug: Doravirine, Tenofovir, Lamivudine Drug: ATRIPLA™ Drug: Placebo | Phase 3 |
Study Type : | Interventional (Clinical Trial) |
Actual Enrollment : | 734 participants |
Allocation: | Randomized |
Intervention Model: | Parallel Assignment |
Masking: | Double (Participant, Investigator) |
Primary Purpose: | Treatment |
Official Title: | A Phase III Multicenter, Double-Blind, Randomized, Active Comparator-Controlled Clinical Trial to Evaluate the Safety and Efficacy of MK-1439A Once-Daily Versus ATRIPLA™ Once-Daily in Treatment-Naïve HIV-1 Infected Subjects |
Actual Study Start Date : | June 5, 2015 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | March 20, 2017 |
Estimated Study Completion Date : | September 4, 2023 |

Arm | Intervention/treatment |
---|---|
Experimental: Doravirine, Tenofovir, Lamivudine
Treatment-naive HIV-infected participants will receive doravirine, tenofovir, lamivudine, a single-tablet FDC containing doravirine 100 mg + lamivudine 300 mg + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg, q.d. by mouth for 96 weeks. Participants will also take 1 placebo tablet matched to ATRIPLA™ q.d. by mouth for 96 weeks in order to maintain blinding.
|
Drug: Doravirine, Tenofovir, Lamivudine
One doravirine, tenofovir, lamivudine tablet taken q.d. by mouth.
Other Name: MK-1439A Drug: Placebo Placebo tablets matched to ATRIPLA® or Doravirine, Tenofovir, Lamivudine. |
Active Comparator: ATRIPLA™
Treatment-naive HIV-infected participants will receive ATRIPLA™, a single-tablet FDC containing efavirenz 600 mg + emtricitabine 200 mg + tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300 mg (equivalent to 245 mg tenofovir disoproxil), q.d. by mouth for 96 weeks. Participants will also take 1 placebo tablet matched to doravirine, tenofovir, lamivudine q.d. by mouth for 96 weeks in order to maintain blinding.
|
Drug: ATRIPLA™
One ATRIPLA™ tablet taken q.d. by mouth Drug: Placebo Placebo tablets matched to ATRIPLA® or Doravirine, Tenofovir, Lamivudine. |
- Percentage of Participants With HIV-1 Ribonucleic Acid (RNA) <50 Copies/mL at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Week 48 ]The percentage of participants in each arm with HIV-1 RNA levels <50 copies/mL at Week 48 was determined. Plasma HIV-1 RNA levels were quantified with the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay. Data were handled according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "snapshot" approach in which all missing data are considered treatment failures, regardless of the reason.
- Percentage of Participants With Tier-1 Neuropsychiatric Adverse Events (AEs) [ Time Frame: Up to Week 48 ]The percentage of participants in each arm experiencing ≥1 pre-specified Tier-1 neuropsychiatric AEs was determined. The list of Tier-1 neuropsychiatric AE categories included "dizziness", "sleep disorders and disturbances", and "altered sensorium" (including disturbance in attention).
- Percentage of Participants With HIV-1 RNA <50 Copies/mL at Week 96 [ Time Frame: Week 96 ]The percentage of participants in each arm with HIV-1 RNA levels <50 copies/mL at Week 96 will be determined. Plasma HIV-1 RNA levels will be quantified with the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "snapshot" approach (i.e., all missing data handled as treatment failures, regardless of the reason) will be used for efficacy analyses.
- Percentage of Participants With HIV-1 RNA <40 Copies/mL at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Week 48 ]The percentage of participants in each arm with HIV-1 RNA levels <40 copies/mL (including target detected and target not detected) at Week 48 was determined. Plasma HIV RNA levels were quantified with the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay. Data were handled according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "snapshot" approach in which all missing data are considered treatment failures, regardless of the reason.
- Percentage of Participants With HIV-1 RNA <40 Copies/mL at Week 96 [ Time Frame: Week 96 ]The percentage of participants in each arm with HIV-1 RNA levels <40 copies/mL (including target detected and target not detected) at Week 96 will be determined. Plasma HIV-1 RNA levels will be quantified with the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) "snapshot" approach (i.e., all missing data handled as treatment failures, regardless of the reason) will be used for efficacy analyses.
- Change From Baseline in CD4 Cell Counts at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1) and Week 48 ]The mean change from baseline in CD4 cell counts at Week 48 was assessed using the Observed Failure (OF) approach. With the OF approach, baseline values were carried forward for participants who discontinued prior to Week 48 due to lack of efficacy. Cell counts at Baseline and Week 48 were measured and expressed as cells/mm^3, and percent change was then calculated as [(Baseline counts - Week 48 counts)*100]. CD4 cell counts were quantified by a central laboratory using a commercially available assay.
- Change From Baseline in CD4 Cell Counts at Week 96 [ Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1) and Week 96 ]The mean change from baseline in CD4 cell counts at Week 96 will be assessed using the Observed Failure (OF) approach. With the OF approach, baseline values will be carried forward for participants who discontinued prior to Week 96 due to lack of efficacy. Cell counts at Baseline and Week 96 will be measured and expressed as cells/mm^3, and percent change will then be calculated as [(Baseline counts - Week 96 counts)*100]. CD4 cell counts will be quantified by a central laboratory using a commercially available assay.
- Percentage of Participants Experiencing ≥1 AE [ Time Frame: Up to Week 48 ]An AE is defined as any untoward medical occurrence in a participant administered a pharmaceutical product and which does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with this treatment.
- Percentage of Participants Discontinuing From Study Medication Due to an AE(s) [ Time Frame: Up to Week 48 ]An AE is defined as any untoward medical occurrence in a participant administered a pharmaceutical product and which does not necessarily have to have a causal relationship with this treatment.
- Percentage of Participants With Tier-2 Neuropsychiatric AEs [ Time Frame: Up to Week 48 ]The percentage of participants in each arm experiencing ≥1 pre-specified Tier-2 neuropsychiatric AEs was determined. The list of Tier-2 neuropsychiatric AE categories included "depression and suicide/self-injury" and "psychosis and psychotic disorders".
- Change From Baseline in Fasting LDL-C at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1) and Week 48 ]The mean percent change from baseline in fasting (fast duration of ≥8 hours) LDL-C levels at Week 48 was determined for each arm. The Last Observation Carry Forward (LOCF) approach was applied to missing data and data collected after a participant initiated lipid-modifying therapy.
- Change From Baseline in Fasting Non-HDL-C at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1) and Week 48 ]The mean percent change from baseline in fasting (fast duration of ≥8 hours) non-HDL-C levels at Week 48 was determined for each arm. The LOCF approach was applied to missing data and data collected after a participant initiated lipid-modifying therapy.
- Change From Baseline in Fasting Cholesterol at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1) and Week 48 ]The mean percent change from baseline in fasting (fast duration of ≥8 hours) cholesterol levels at Week 48 was determined for each arm. The LOCF approach was applied to missing data and data collected after a participant initiated lipid-modifying therapy.
- Change From Baseline in Fasting Triglycerides at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1) and Week 48 ]The mean percent change from baseline in fasting (fast duration of ≥8 hours) triglycerides levels at Week 48 was determined for each arm. The LOCF approach was applied to missing data and data collected after a participant initiated lipid-modifying therapy.
- Change From Baseline in Fasting HDL-C at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Baseline (Day 1) and Week 48 ]The mean percent change from baseline in fasting (fast duration of ≥8 hours) HDL-C levels at Week 48 was determined for each arm. The LOCF approach was applied to missing data and data collected after a participant initiated lipid-modifying therapy.
- Percentage of Participants With HIV-1 RNA Below the Limit of Quantification (BLoQ) at Week 48 [ Time Frame: Week 48 ]The percentage of participants in each arm with HIV-1 RNA levels BLoQ of 40 copies/mL and target not detected at Week 48 was determined. Plasma HIV RNA levels were quantified with the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay. Data were handled as observed.
- Percentage of Participants With HIV-1 RNA BLoQ at Week 96 [ Time Frame: Week 48 ]The percentage of participants in each arm with HIV-1 RNA levels BLoQ of 40 copies/mL and target not detected at Week 96 will be determined. Plasma HIV RNA levels will be quantified with the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Assay. Data will be handled as observed.
- Plasma Concentration of Doravirine at Week 48 [ Time Frame: 0 hours post-dose and 2 hours post-dose on Week 48 ]Plasma samples were collected for analysis of doravirine concentration at Week 48. A total of 2 samples were collected: 1 prior to dosing and 1 collected between 0.5 and 2 hours post-dose.

Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
Ages Eligible for Study: | 18 Years and older (Adult, Older Adult) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Inclusion Criteria:
- Is HIV-1 positive as determined by a positive result on an enzyme-immunoassay, has screening plasma HIV-1 RNA (determined by the central laboratory) ≥1000 copies/mL within 45 days prior to the treatment phase of this study, and has HIV treatment indicated based on physician assessment
- Has never received antiretroviral therapy (ART)
- Is highly unlikely to either become pregnant or impregnate a partner
Exclusion Criteria:
- Has a history or current evidence of any condition, therapy, laboratory abnormality, or other circumstance that might confound results of the study
- Is a user of recreational or illicit drugs or has a recent history of alcohol/drug abuse
- Has been treated for a viral infection other than HIV-1 (e.g., hepatitis B) with an agent that is active against HIV-1
- Has participated in a study with an investigational drug/device within 30 days prior to Screening
- Has used systemic immunosuppressive therapy or immune modulators within 30 days prior to treatment in this study or is anticipated to need them during the course of the study
- Has a current (active) diagnosis of acute hepatitis due to any cause (note: participants with chronic hepatitis B and C may enter the study as long as they fulfill all entry criteria, have stable liver function tests, and have no significant impairment of hepatic synthetic function)
- Is a female who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or expecting to conceive
- Is a female and is expecting to donate eggs or is male and is expecting to donate sperm (investigators will provide appropriate guidance regarding egg and/or sperm donation after completion of the study treatment regimen)
- Has evidence of decompensated liver disease manifested by the presence of or a history of ascites, esophageal or gastric variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy or other signs or symptoms of advanced liver diseases, or has liver cirrhosis and a Child-Pugh Class C score or Pugh-Turcotte (CPT) score > 9

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT02403674
Study Director: | Medical Director | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC |
Documents provided by Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC:
Responsible Party: | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT02403674 |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
1439A-021 MK-1439A-021 ( Other Identifier: Merck Protocol Number ) 2014-003382-17 ( EudraCT Number ) |
First Posted: | March 31, 2015 Key Record Dates |
Results First Posted: | April 30, 2018 |
Last Update Posted: | September 16, 2022 |
Last Verified: | August 2022 |
Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: | |
Plan to Share IPD: | Yes |
Plan Description: | http://engagezone.msd.com/doc/ProcedureAccessClinicalTrialData.pdf |
URL: | http://engagezone.msd.com/ds_documentation.php |
Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome HIV Infections Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes Immune System Diseases Blood-Borne Infections Communicable Diseases Infections Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral Sexually Transmitted Diseases Lentivirus Infections Retroviridae Infections RNA Virus Infections Virus Diseases |
Slow Virus Diseases Tenofovir Lamivudine Efavirenz, Emtricitabine, Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Drug Combination Antiviral Agents Anti-Infective Agents Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors Nucleic Acid Synthesis Inhibitors Enzyme Inhibitors Molecular Mechanisms of Pharmacological Action Anti-HIV Agents Anti-Retroviral Agents |