Gilead Sciences Korea seems to have successfully switched its key drug in HIV therapy to Genvoya from Stribild.

Genvoya, a combination drug, had the largest market share in the “backbone” HIV treatment market in the first quarter. Backbone drug refers to a key component in combination therapies.

Genvoya Tab. (Gilead Sciences Korea)

Genvoya combines three agents – tenofovir alafenamide (TAF), elvitegravir, and emtricitabine. The company released the combo drug in Korea in February last year.

Launching the product, Gilead Science Korea emphasized that Genvoya be an upgraded version of Stribild with fewer side effects.

According to data from IQVIA, Genvoya had 34.9 percent share in the HIV backbone market, ranking first. Stribild accounted for 2.5 percent.

In the first quarter of last year, Stribild was No. 1 with 29.5 percent share.

This year, Genvoya also topped the “third agent” market with a 32.3 percent share. The third agent refers to the agent next to the two backbone drugs in cocktail therapies.

Including backbone and the third agent, Genvoya sold more than 7 billion won ($6.5 million) in the first quarter, and Stribild, 480 million won.

The second place went to GSK’s Triumeq with 24.1 percent share, or 4.9 billion won in sales.

Genvoya’s ingredient TAF is an alternation to Stribild’s tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF).

Genvoya showed non-inferior effect with 10 percent capacity of conventional TDF and cut tenofovir levels in the bloodstream to improve renal and bone-related side effects, the company said.

In a comparative study, Genvoya’s impact on kidney and bone mineral density was significantly lower than that of Stribild.

At the 48th week, changes in mean proteinuria in Genvoya were 3 percent, and in Stribild, 20 percent, compared with baseline. Genvoya showed 0.66 percent and minus 1.3 percent in changes in hip and spinal bone density, respectively. In the control group, they were minus 2.95 percent and minus 2.86 percent, respectively.

Genvoya costs 26,900 won per tablet. Patients can take one pill with food once a day.

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