Hello, I am positive for almost 8 years now and I have a concern regarding Sustiva (which i have been on since diagnosis). I wanted to know if Etravirine can be used in place of Sustiva (if and when i become resistant to it)? Is this drug only successful with the use of a PI or can it be successful with the use of an NRTI without a PI (like sustiva). Im kind of paranoid about having the risk of Lipodystrophy with switching to a Protease Inhibitor.

Thanks

Etravirine, also known affectionately as TMC125, is a non-nucleoside that is in the last stages of development and is expected to be available in the US within months.

Some facts:

-Etravirine can be taken with nucleosides.

-Some virus that is resistant to Sustiva can be suppressed with Etravirine.

-Once Etravirine becomes available, it will first be used in people with resistance to Sustiva but it may also be an option for people doing well on Sustiva but desiring a change from that med. Note, Etravirine is taken twice a day.

-There are not much data to support the idea that changing from Sustiva to a protease inhibitor will result in a change in body shape. It is a big assumption that protease inhibitors cause more body shape problems than Sustiva. This is not borne out in clinical trials. . See the upcoming issue of the magazine Positively Aware for a debunking of this and other metabolic complications of HIV myths. Further we know nil about the body shape effects of Etravirine.

DW