The Canadian Drug Expert Committee (CDEC) recommends that dolutegravir be listed for the treatment of HIV in both treatment-naive and treatment-experienced adults and children 12 years of age and older weighing at least 40 kg, in combination with other antiretrovirals.

 Reasons for the recommendation: 

1. Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in treatment-naive patients demonstrated that dolutegravir was non-inferior to raltegravir (SPRING-2; N = 822) and, in combination with abacavir/lamivudine, superior to efavirenz/tenofovir/emtricitabine (SINGLE; N = 833). One RCT (SAILING; N = 724) demonstrated that dolutegravir was superior to raltegravir in treatment-experienced patients. 

2. At the submitted price and recommended dose ($18.50; 50 mg once daily), dolutegravir is less costly than raltegravir ($27.00; 400 mg twice daily). 

For more details, go to: http://www.cadth.ca/media/cdr/complete/cdr_complete_tivicay_august_20_2014.pdf