Fostemsavir, sold under the brand name Rukobia, is an antiretroviral medication for adults living with HIV/AIDS who have tried multiple HIV medications and whose HIV infection cannot be successfully treated with other therapies because of resistance, intolerance or safety considerations.The most common adverse reaction is nausea. Severe adverse reactions included elevations in liver enzymes among participants also infected with hepatitis B or C virus, and changes in the immune system (immune reconstitution syndrome).Fostemsavir is an HIV entry inhibitor and a prodrug of temsavir (BMS-626529). Fostemsavir is a human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gp120-directed attachment inhibitor.It was approved for medical use in the United States in July 2020, and in the European Union in February 2021. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers it to be a first-in-class medication. Medical uses
Fostemsavir in combination with other antiretroviral(s), is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in heavily treatment-experienced adults with multidrug-resistant HIV-1 infection failing their current antiretroviral regimen due to resistance, intolerance, or safety considerations. Adverse effects
Fostemsavir may cause a serious condition called immune reconstitution syndrome, similar to other approved drugs for treatment of HIV-1 infection. This condition can happen at the beginning of HIV-1 treatment when the immune system may get stronger and begin to fight infections that have been hidden in the body for a long time. Other serious side effects include heart rhythm problems due to prolongation of heart electrical activity (QT prolongation) and an increase of liver enzymes in patients with hepatitis B or C virus co-infection.
Most participants had been treated for HIV for more than 15 years (71 percent), had been exposed to five or more different HIV treatment regimens before entering the trial (85 percent) and/or had a history of AIDS (86 percent). Participants in the main cohort of the trial received either fostemsavir or a placebo twice daily for eight days, in addition to their failing antiretroviral regimen. On the eighth day, participants treated with fostemsavir had a significantly greater decrease in levels of HIV-RNA in their blood compared to those taking the placebo. After the eighth day, all participants received fostemsavir with other antiretroviral drugs. After 24 weeks of fostemsavir plus other antiretroviral drugs, 53 percent of participants achieved HIV RNA suppression, where levels of HIV were low enough to be considered undetectable. After 96 weeks, 60 percent of participants continued to have HIV RNA suppression.The clinical trial (NCT02362503) was conducted at 108 sites in 23 countries in North America, South America, Europe, Australia, Taiwan and South Africa.The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted the application for fostemsavir fast track, priority review, and breakthrough therapy designations. The FDA granted the approval of Rukobia to ViiV Healthcare.On 10 December 2020, the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) adopted a positive opinion, recommending the granting of a marketing authorization for the medicinal product Rukobia, intended for the treatment of multi-drug resistant HIV-1 infection.