Merck on Monday announced a new agreement with the ADAP Crisis Task Force aimed at improving access to its recently approved HIV treatment, IDVYNSO™ (doravirine/islatravir). This collaboration is designed to help state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs) provide the once-daily, two-drug single-tablet regimen to eligible individuals across the United States.
State ADAPs currently provide vital support to more than 250,000 people living with HIV in the U.S., making them a critical component of the healthcare safety net for uninsured or underserved populations.
“ADAP programs play a critical role in supporting access to treatment for people living with HIV who are uninsured or underserved,” Tim Horn, director of Medication Access at the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD), said. “We appreciate Merck’s continued engagement and its willingness to work collaboratively to help address the critical access challenges facing state ADAP programs.”
Conrod Kelly, U.S. HIV business unit head at Merck, emphasized the company’s focus on bridging gaps in treatment. “This agreement reflects our long-standing commitment to working with the ACTF, state ADAPs, and the HIV community to strengthen access and help address persistent gaps in care,” Kelly said.
Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2026, IDVYNSO is a fixed-dose combination of doravirine—a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)—and islatravir, a next-generation nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI).
The medication is indicated for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults who are already virologically suppressed (HIV-1 RNA less than 50 copies per mL) on a stable antiretroviral regimen, provided they have no history of virologic treatment failure and no known resistance to doravirine.
Merck has established the Merck Access Program to assist patients and health care providers with navigating coverage, estimated out-of-pocket costs, and co-pay assistance options for eligible, commercially insured individuals.
