The emergence of dual therapy for antiretroviral (ARV)-experienced persons living with HIV (PWH) offers the opportunity to reduce lifetime exposure to unnecessary ARV drugs while maintaining viral suppression and reducing the cost of care. Our objective, using retrospective analysis of a quality care initiative, was to examine in routine clinical practice the clinical impact of switching PWH stable on a three-drug to a two-drug single-tablet formulation (STF) ARV regimen. We also examined the cost implications of this STF adjustment. Between January 1, 2020 and January 1, 2021 eligible patients (i.e., virally suppressed, no active hepatitis B infection, no documented nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors/integrase strand transfer inhibitor resistance) were offered, on a convenience basis and as part of routine care, the opportunity to adjust their current three-drug STF to a two-drug STF (dolutegarvair/lamivudine). The acceptance, clinical efficacy, safety, tolerability, and cost of treatment were measured for patients who switched in 2020. Of 989 eligible PWH, 408 were approached and 391 (39.5%) switched to two-drug regimen; 99% remained on the two-drug STF at year's end (median 240 days follow-up). Only 2/391 patients who switched lost viral control. The total ARV drug cost for all 989 patients decreased by 10.3% generating an actual savings of $1,596,666 among patients approached and switched in 2020. Patient interest and uptake in switching to two-drug STF was substantial and resulted in few discontinuations for any reason. It provided significant and immediate cost savings within the first year. Our results bring clarity to discussions on whether using two-drug regimens would be practical and acceptable in nonclinical trial settings.
Keywords: Canada; HIV/AIDS; antiretroviral therapy; cost of care; dual therapy.