Enfuvirtide: a review of its use in the management of HIV infection

Enfuvirtide (Fuzeon), a fusion inhibitor, is indicated in combination with other antiretroviral agents in the treatment of HIV infection in treatment-experienced adults and children aged >6 years.The addition of subcutaneous enfuvirtide to an optimised antiretroviral background regimen improved the virological and immunological response in treatment-experienced HIV-infected patients in the two large, well designed TORO (T-20 vs Optimised Regimen Only) trials. Although injection-site reactions occurred almost universally in enfuvirtide recipients, they were rarely treatment-limiting. Enfuvirtide was otherwise generally well tolerated. The challenge for clinicians is in determining the appropriate timing for enfuvirtide initiation, which requires consideration of the likelihood of a better virological response with the construction of an active background regimen versus the potential for a low rate of adherence to therapy in patients in the early stages of treatment and/or disease development. Enfuvirtide is a novel antiretroviral that is effective in HIV-infected patients whose treatment options are limited by multi-class antiretroviral resistance.