Aims: To investigate whether the administration of tenofovir diproxil fumarate 300 mg once daily alters the plasma pharmacokinetics of the saquinavir hard gel/ritonavir combination in HIV-1 infected individuals.
Methods: On day 1, 12 h pharmacokinetic profiles for saquinavir/ritonavir (1000/100 mg given twice daily) were obtained for 18 subjects. All subjects were receiving ongoing treatment with a saquinavir/ritonavir-containing regimen. Tenofovir diproxil fumarate 300 mg given once daily was then added to the regimen and blood sampling was repeated at days 3 and 14. Saquinavir and ritonavir concentrations were measured by HPLC-MS/MS, and tenofovir concentrations by HPLC with UV detection.
Results: Following the addition of tenofovir diproxil fumarate to the regimen, saquinavir and ritonavir plasma concentrations were not significantly different compared with day 1. Thus the geometric mean ratios (95% confidence intervals) for the area under the concentration-time curve were 1.16 (0.97, 1.59) and 0.99 (0.87, 1.30) for saquinavir and 1.05 (0.92, 1.28) and 1.08 (0.97, 1.30) for ritonavir, on days 3 and 14, respectively.
Conclusions: Tenofovir diproxil fumarate did not alter the pharmacokinetics of saquinavir hard gel/ritonavir.