The Effects of the Direct Acting Antiviral Agent Boceprevir on the Pharmacokinetics of Maraviroc in Healthy Volunteers

Infection by both HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV)is frequent due to similar transmission modes. Near 20% of people living with HIV are also infected by HCV. People living with HIV are treated by anti-HIV medications that may interact with numerous other medications, including new medications against HCV. Boceprevir is one of these new HCV medications and it is now considered as part of the standard of care for people infected with HCV. Previous research has shown boceprevir may influence the capacity of the liver to breakdown (metabolize) certain medications and when these medications are used in combination with boceprevir, their blood concentrations may be increased or decreased which could increase the risk of side effects or decrease efficacy. Among the drugs having a potential for an interaction with boceprevir is maraviroc, an anti-HIV medication. If concentrations of maraviroc increase, people may experience more side effects. However, if concentrations of maraviroc decrease, people living with HIV may have a lower suppression of the virus. This could increase the risk for the HIV virus to develop resistance, that is that the treatment will no longer be effective. No studies have been conducted to investigate the effects of boceprevir on blood concentrations of maraviroc. This research project addresses this research question. This project, however, cannot be done with people living with HIV since resistance may develop in these people if the concentrations of maraviroc decrease. It is for this reason that the investigators wish to recruit healthy people not infected with HIV nor HCV. Eleven healthy volunteers will be included. They will receive maraviroc 150 mg (1 tablet) every 12 hours from days 1 to 19 inclusively. On day 5, a total of ten blood samples will be drawn during the following 12 hours (at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 and 12 hours after maraviroc morning dose intake) to measure the blood concentrations of maraviroc. Boceprevir 800 mg (4 ca