A bi-annual injectable treatment for HIV prevention (PrEP), Lenacapavir, is being celebrated as a major advancement in the field.
This followed new study results that showed a 96 per cent reduction in HIV cases with its use.
The manufacturer of lenacapavir, Gilead Sciences, said it is planning to seek regulatory approvals for the product before the end of this year.
At the fifth HIV Research for Prevention Conference (HIVR4P 2024) in Lima, Peru, new data revealed a 96 per cent drop in HIV infections among cisgender men and gender-diverse groups involved in the PURPOSE 2 study.
The study participants included diverse demographics from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and the United States.
President of the International AIDS Society (IAS), Beatriz Grinsztejn, highlighted lenacapavir’s potential to significantly alter HIV prevention strategies worldwide for all genders.
A professor of Medicine and Chief Operating Officer of the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, Linda-Gail Bekker, described lenacapavir as a potential “paradigm shift” in the prevention landscape.
PrEP has been a cornerstone of HIV prevention, available as a daily pill or an on-demand option. In Australia, as of 2023, around 75,000 people had used PrEP, according to Thorne Harbour Health, though adherence remains a challenge for many users.
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The approval of GSK ViiV Healthcare’s long-acting Cabotegravir injection in 2021 introduced a bi-monthly alternative to daily medication. Gilead’s lenacapavir, administered every six months, could soon become a significant option for those preferring long-acting prevention methods.
Principal investigator, Professor Colleen Kelley, from Emory University announced that only two out of 2,179 participants on lenacapavir contracted HIV, indicating a 99.9 per cent success rate. In contrast, nine cases occurred in the daily Truvada group.
Gilead reported that lenacapavir reduced HIV infections by 96 per cent compared to the background incidence rate and was 89 per cent more effective than daily Truvada.
Professor Kelley said: “The data emphasises that lenacapavir, administered bi-annually, could be a transformative option in global HIV prevention efforts.”
The study design accounted for diverse gender, racial, ethnic, and geographic backgrounds, focusing on those disproportionately affected by HIV.
Addressing concerns about potential discontinuation due to injection reactions, Professor Kelley noted that there was no evidence of significant dropout rates, acknowledging that understanding these reactions fully requires further analysis.
