Pharmacokinetics and Safety of Rifabutin 150 mg Once Daily Versus Rifabutin 300 mg Thrice Weekly

To describe the pharmacokinetics of rifabutin 150 mg once daily versus rifabutin 300 mg thrice weekly in combination with LPV/r 400/100mg based HAART in HIV/TB infected patients

The overall aim of the project is to evaluate rifabutin as a replacement for rifampicin, for the combined treatment of tuberculosis and HIV infection. Rifabutin represents an alternative to rifampicin for HIV infected patients as its half-life is longer and the enzymatic induction effect appears to be less important on the associated ART drugs. This phase II trial is to determine precisely the pharmacokinetics parameters of rifabutin in combination with LPV/r regimens in Thai HIV/TB infected patients, in order to define optimal doses that will be further tested in a larger phase III trial comparing safety, tolerability and efficacy of rifabutin and rifampicin regimens.