Integrase inhibitors are a promising new group of antiretroviral drugs that suppress the
integrase yielded by human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) via inhibiting the ,,integration" of the viral
deoxyribonucleic acid (
DNA) into the hosts'
DNA genome. In 2007,
raltegravir was the first
integrase inhibitor that has been approved for the treatment of HIV-1
infections in antiretroviral-pretreated (-experienced) and antiretroviral-naive patients. Recently,
elvitegravir, as a fixed coformulation with
cobicistat,
tenofovir und
emtricitabine, has been approved for the treatment of HIV-1-infected antiretroviral-naive patients. InAugust of 2013,
dolutegravir, a third
integrase inhibitor, has been approved by the US Food and
Drug Adiministation (FDA) for the treatment of HIV-1
infections in adults and children aged 12 years and older.
Raltegravir has to be applied twice daily without a boosting agent.
Elvitegravir and
dolutegravir are applied once daily in the presence of a booster (
elvitegravir) or unboosted (
dolutegravir). In contrast to
raltegravir and
elvitegravir,
dolutegravir shows a high genetic barrier to resistance, and is also applicable for the treatment of several HIV-1
infections with
raltegravir and
elvitegravir-resistant HIV variants. During the last years,
raltegravir,
elvitegravir and
dolutegravir have been proven and established in the antiretroviral treatment of HIV-1
infections as effective, safe and well-tolerated agents. However, reliable statement forecasts of long-term toxicity of these substances can not yet be made.