Clinical Trial Shows Twice Yearly Injection to be 96 Percent Effective in HIV Prevention - Video

Results from a recent Gilead-funded clinical trial (Purpose-2) led by physicians at Emory University and Grady Health System indicate that a twice-yearly injection of Lenacapavir offers a 96% reduced risk of infection overall, making the injection significantly more effective than the daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In the randomized, double-blind, Phase III clinical trial comparing the efficacy of the two medications, 99% of the participants in the Lenacapavir group did not acquire an HIV infection. During the trial, only two participants in the Lenacapavir group, comprised of 2,179 people, acquired HIV. This compares to nine new

HIV infections in the Truvada group, which had 1,086 people. The trial showed that adherence to the injectable was higher than of the daily oral pill.

The inclusion of racially, ethnically, and gender-diverse participants in the clinical trial was notable because it was representative of populations disproportionately impacted by HIV in real time. According to the study, the same populations that are disproportionately impacted by HIV are the same populations that have limited access to pre-exposure prophylaxis -- or may have difficulty consistently taking the oral antiretroviral medication -- ultimately highlighting the need for more options.

Reference: https://news.emory.edu/stories/2024/11/hs_lenacapavir_trial_27-11-2024/story.html