@article{HechtErberHarreretal.2015,
  author    = {Hecht, Markus and Erber, Sonja and Harrer, Thomas and Klinker, Hartwig and Roth, Thomas and Parsch, Hans and Fiebig, Nora and Fietkau, Rainer and Distel, Luitpold V.},
  title     = {Efavirenz Has the Highest Anti-Proliferative Effect of Non-Nucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors against Pancreatic Cancer Cells},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  number    = {6},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0130277},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-151694},
  pages     = {e0130277},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Background Cancer prevention and therapy in HIV-1-infected patients will play an important role in future. The non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTI) Efavirenz and Nevirapine are cytotoxic against cancer cells in vitro. As other NNRTIs have not been studied so far, all clinically used NNRTIs were tested and the in vitro toxic concentrations were compared to drug levels in patients to predict possible anti-cancer effects in vivo. Methods Cytotoxicity was studied by Annexin-V-APC/7AAD staining and flow cytometry in the pancreatic cancer cell lines BxPC-3 and Panc-1 and confirmed by colony formation assays. The 50\% effective cytotoxic concentrations (EC50) were calculated and compared to the blood levels in our patients and published data. Results The in vitro EC50 of the different drugs in the BxPC-3 pancreatic cancer cells were: Efavirenz 31.5\(\mu\)mol/l (= 9944ng/ml), Nevirapine 239\(\mu\)mol/l (= 63786ng/ml), Etravirine 89.0\(\mu\)mol/l (= 38740ng/ml), Lersivirine 543\(\mu\)mol/l (= 168523ng/ml), Delavirdine 171\(\mu\)mol/l (= 78072ng/ml), Rilpivirine 24.4\(\mu\)mol/l (= 8941ng/ml). As Efavirenz and Rilpivirine had the highest cytotoxic potential and Nevirapine is frequently used in HIV-1 positive patients, the results of these three drugs were further studied in Panc-1 pancreatic cancer cells and confirmed with colony formation assays. 205 patient blood levels of Efavirenz, 127 of Rilpivirine and 31 of Nevirapine were analyzed. The mean blood level of Efavirenz was 3587ng/ml (range 162-15363ng/ml), of Rilpivirine 144ng/ml (range 0-572ng/ml) and of Nevirapine 4955ng/ml (range 1856-8697ng/ml). Blood levels from our patients and from published data had comparable Efavirenz levels to the in vitro toxic EC50 in about 1 to 5\% of all patients. Conclusion All studied NNRTIs were toxic against cancer cells. A low percentage of patients taking Efavirenz reached in vitro cytotoxic blood levels. It can be speculated that in HIV-1 positive patients having high Efavirenz blood levels pancreatic cancer incidence might be reduced. Efavirenz might be a new option in the treatment of cancer.},
  language  = {en}
}
@article{HeidrichCordesKlinkeretal.2015,
  author    = {Heidrich, Benjamin and Cordes, Hans-J{\"o}rg and Klinker, Hartwig and M{\"o}ller, Bernd and Naumann, Uwe and R{\"o}ssle, Martin and Kraus, Michael R. and B{\"o}ker, Klaus H. and Roggel, Christoph and Schuchmann, Marcus and Stoehr, Albrecht and Trein, Andreas and Hardtke, Svenja and Gonnermann, Andrea and Koch, Armin and Wedemeyer, Heiner and Manns, Michael P. and Cornberg, Markus},
  title     = {Treatment Extension of Pegylated Interferon Alpha and Ribavirin Does Not Improve SVR in Patients with Genotypes 2/3 without Rapid Virological Response (OPTEX Trial): A Prospective, Randomized, Two-Arm, Multicentre Phase IV Clinical Trial},
  series = {PLoS ONE},
  volume    = {10},
  journal   = {PLoS ONE},
  number    = {6},
  doi       = {10.1371/journal.pone.0128069},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-151811},
  pages     = {e0128069},
  year      = {2015},
  abstract  = {Although sofosbuvir has been approved for patients with genotypes 2/3 (G2/3), many parts of the world still consider pegylated Interferon alpha (P) and ribavirin (R) as standard of care for G2/3. Patients with rapid virological response (RVR) show response rates >80\%. However, SVR (sustained virological response) in non-RVR patients is not satisfactory. Longer treatment duration may be required but evidence from prospective trials are lacking. A total of 1006 chronic HCV genotype 2/3 patients treated with P/R were recruited into a German HepNet multicenter screening registry. Of those, only 226 patients were still HCV RNA positive at week 4 (non-RVR). Non-RVR patients with ongoing response after 24 weeks P-2b/R qualified for OPTEX, a randomized trial investigating treatment extension of additional 24 weeks (total 48 weeks, Group A) or additional 12 weeks (total 36 weeks, group B) of 1.5 \(\mu\)g/kg P-2b and 800-1400 mg R. Due to the low number of patients without RVR, the number of 150 anticipated study patients was not met and only 99 non-RVR patients (n=50 Group A, n=49 Group B) could be enrolled into the OPTEX trial. Baseline factors did not differ between groups. Sixteen patients had G2 and 83 patients G3. Based on the ITT (intention-to-treat) analysis, 68\% [55\%; 81\%] in Group A and 57\% [43\%; 71\%] in Group B achieved SVR (p=0.31). The primary endpoint of better SVR rates in Group A compared to a historical control group (SVR 70\%) was not met. In conclusion, approximately 23\% of G2/3 patients did not achieve RVR in a real world setting. However, subsequent recruitment in a treatment-extension study was difficult. Prolonged therapy beyond 24 weeks did not result in higher SVR compared to a historical control group.},
  language  = {en}
}