Efficacy Safety Study Comparing 2 Doses of NVP After Initiating Rifampin-containing TB Therapy

A 48 week, randomized, open-label, two arm study to compare the efficacy, safety and tolerability of HAART containing nevirapine 400 mg/day versus nevirapine 600 mg/day in HIV-1 infected patients started at 2-6 weeks after initiating rifampicin containing antituberculosis therapy.

Preliminary data from the HIVNAT PK laboratory indicate that out of 5/60 patients treated with nevirapine (200 mg bid) and rifampicin had sub-therapeutic nevirapine levels (\<3.0 mg mg/L). In a control group of 38 patients using nevirapine without rifampicin there were no sub-therapeutic levels. A dose increase of nevirapine while patients who are receiving that rifampicin may be required. Both nevirapine and rifampicin are tepatotoxic agents as are other agents used in treatment of HIV or tuberculosis. Using a higher nevirapine may prevent the occurrence of sub-therapeutic nevirapine levels, but may also induce more liver toxicity. To address these issues, we designed a randomized prospective study to evaluate the safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetics of nevirapine 400 mg/day versus 600 mg/day with a two weeks lead-in 200 mg/day and 400 mg/day respectively, in TB-HIV co-infected patients who taking rifampicin and short-term efficacy and toxicity.