New data provides insights with potential real-world implications for people living with HIV – including a promising long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug

Leading HIV researchers announced important new developments in HIV research at the 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020: Virtual) today. This includes what may be the first report of an adult with HIV to achieve long-term HIV remission without the need for a bone marrow transplant and new data showing that long-acting injectable cabotegravir is superior to daily oral Truvada for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Other announcements included promising new insights on PrEP’s impact on reducing HIV incidence in rural Kenya and Uganda, encouraging data on the potential link between dolutegravir and neural tube defects, and positive results in a trial comparing multidrug antiretroviral therapies.

“Since 1985 the International AIDS Conference has helped answer the most pressing research questions in HIV, and this year is no different,” Anton Pozniak, President of the International AIDS Society and International Chair of AIDS 2020: Virtual, said. “The studies presented at AIDS 2020: Virtual advance our knowledge on multiple fronts, knowledge that can potentially help the communities and regions most impacted by HIV worldwide.”

Today’s press conference highlighted five studies covering prevention, treatment and cure research selected from the thousands of abstracts being presented at AIDS 2020: Virtual.

 Data shows long-acting injectable cabotegravir is more effective in preventing HIV than daily, oral Truvada

The HPTN 083 clinical trial is the first study to compare the efficacy of long-acting injectable cabotegravir with daily oral Truvada for HIV PrEP. The trial enrolled 4,570 cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men at 43 sites in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, United States, South Africa, Thailand and Vietnam.

In May, the study was stopped, but interim data showed that long-acting cabotegravir, when given by injection every two months, is highly effective for preventing HIV in cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men.

Updated results announced at today’s press conference found that cabotegravir for long-acting injectable PrEP is not only just as effective, but superior, to daily, oral Truvada for PrEP. Raphael J Landovitz of the UCLA Center for Clinical AIDS Research & Education reported that adherence for daily, oral treatment regimens have proven difficult to maintain and that a safe injection every two months is an appealing alternative for people around the world. [Note above summary includes updated information not included in the submitted abstract; additional details will be presented on site.]

Abstract: HPTN083 interim results: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) containing long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) is safe and highly effective for cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men (MSM, TGW)

Session: Co-Chairs’ Choice (Prime Channel-Live; Wednesday, 8 July, 02:00 PM PDT)