FTC therapy reduces risk of important resistance mutation

aidsmap: "The important M184V resistance mutation is less likely to emerge if a patient is receiving an HIV treatment combination that includes FTC and tenofovir rather than a combination that contains 3TC, an international team of investigators report in the online edition of the Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes.

"The study also showed that treatment with a boosted protease inhibitor was protective against the emergence of the M184V mutation and that the combination of FTC and tenofovir had a high genetic barrier to resistance.

"The investigators believe that the study’s “overall findings highlight the importance to identify those drug combinations that can minimize drug resistance to HAART [highly active antiretroviral therapy]. Understanding the point is crucial to maximize the opportunity for successful and subsequent therapies after viral rebound not only in western countries but also in resource-limited settings."