A Study to Compare Brachial Artery Reactivity and Cardiovascular Risk of a Treatment Simplification by Darunavir/Ritonavir (DRV/r) 800/100 mg Versus a Triple Combination Therapy Containing DRV/r in HIV-1 Infected Patients

This is a Phase II, randomized (the study medication is assigned by chance), open-label (all people know the identity of the intervention), controlled, single centre study. The study consists of 3 phases including, the screening phase (4 weeks before administration of study medication), treatment phase (48 weeks), and the follow-up phase (4 weeks). In the treatment phase, HIV-infected participants who have not changed their first-line treatment of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for at least 8 weeks and have documented evidence of their HIV- ribonucleic acid (RNA) measurements being virologically suppressed (HIV-RNA less than 50 copies/mL) for at least 24 weeks prior to the screening, will be randomly assigned equally in two treatment arms: triple combination therapy arm (DRV/r 800/100 mg once daily plus 2 NRTIs) or monotherapy arm (DRV/r 800/100 mg once daily). Participants in the triple combination arm who are already on 2 NRTIs prior to randomization may remain on these or switch them at baseline, where the participants on the monotherapy arm will discontinue HAART at baseline and will start DRV/r 800/100 mg once daily. Safety evaluations will include assessment of adverse events, significant vital signs, and significant laboratory tests. The total duration of the study will be 56 weeks.

Inclusion criteria

- Human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) infected participants on their first-line treatment with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) (combination of 2 or 3 nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors [NRTIs] with at least 1 additional antiretroviral [ARV] from the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor [NNRTI] and/or protease inhibitors [PI] class) for at least 24 weeks, provided the same ARV combination for at least 8 weeks before screening

• Participants' preference for a more convenient regimen and/or any current or history of toxicity on actual regimen
• Plasma HIV-1 ribonucleic acid (RNA) less than 50 cp/ml for at least 24 weeks before screening, where single viral blips of more than 50 copies/mL are allowed
• Cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) count more than 100/mm3 at the start of HAART and more than 200/mm3 at screening
• Healthy on the basis of physical examination, medical history, vital signs, clinical laboratory tests, and 12-lead electrocardiogram performed at screening
• Agrees to protocol-defined use of effective contraception
• Postmenopausal, surgically sterile, or abstinent female participants

Exclusion criteria

• History of coronary heart disease, uncontrolled hypertension, peripheral vascular disease and or cerebrovascular disease
• History of virological failure on highly active antiretroviral therapy, plasma HIV-1 ribonucleic acid more than 500 copies/mL after initial full virological suppression while on ARV therapy and any PI mutations
• Participants with significantly hepatic and liver insufficiency or diagnosed with acute viral hepatitis or have active clinically significant diseases and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) defining illness at screening
• Current significant tobacco use, active drug or alcohol use or dependence
• Use of lipid-lowering drugs within 4 weeks prior to study entry and use of testosterone, anabolic steroids, oral contraceptives or hormonal replacement within 12 weeks prior to study entry or previous or current use of darunavir
• Use of systemic glucocorticoids, long-acting inhaled steroids (inhaled via mouth or nose), or other immunomodulators within 30 days prior to study entry