Alternative PrEP injection, dosed every other month, beats daily PrEP pill
From thebodypro.com…
Taken every 2 months, the long-acting injectable drug cabotegravir (CAB-LA) prevented more HIV infections than daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC), according to newly announced results from a major Phase 3 study. The results were released originally in May due to the overwhelmingly positive data on CAB-LA for PrEP, but researchers presented their final data in early July at the 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020).
The data show that the experimental drug is superior to the current standard-of-care PrEP regien, which may open the door for a new biomedical HIV prevention option aimed at those who would prefer a shot six times a year over taking a daily pill.
“The HPTN 083 results demonstrating the superiority of CAB to TDF/FTC have the potential to transform the landscape of HIV prevention for cisgender MSM and transgender women,” said HPTN 083 protocol chair Raphael J. Landovitz, M.D. “We know that some people have difficulty with or prefer not to take pills, and an injectable product such as long-acting CAB [cabotegravir] could be a very important option for them. We want to thank the study participants and research staff, as this study would not have been possible without their dedication and commitment.”