New reports reveal that an annual prevention shot for HIV has successfully passed an early safety trial. The drug, lenacapavir, has undergone its first critical testing trial in Phase I with success and is on track to become an effective and convenient preventative measure against HIV, according to The Lancet medical journal.
Lenacapavir has been under medical trials for years, and just last year, research from the New England Journal of Medicine indicated that twice-yearly injections of the drug could potentially offer complete protection from HIV. Research provided findings from a randomized trial of more than 5,000 cisgender women in South Africa and Uganda, conducted by drug developer, Gilead Sciences. However, the latest research finds that just one annual shot could offer enough protection from the infection.
The study found that 2,134 participants who took lenacapavir every 26 weeks had avoided acquiring HIV by the end of the trial period. Contrastingly, 55 infections were reported by other groups who used PrEP as an alternative preventive measure.
Lenacapavir functions by blocking HIV from replicating inside cells. In the study, 40 people had lenacapavir injected into their muscle and experienced no major side effects or safety concerns. After 56 weeks the drug was still detectable in their bodies.
Current preventative treatments for HIV are called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). They are considered highly effective and are offered in the form of daily pills or injections needed every eight weeks.
Right now, around 39.9 million people are living with HIV, with around 65% of those living in Africa. Currently, the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Fund and Joint United Nations Program on HIV and AIDS (UNAids) are working to end the HIV epidemic by 2030 the BBC reports.
Once lenacapavir passes its necessary trials, the next step is making it accessible to the public. “It’s great to see these early results that suggest injectable PrEP might be effective for up to 12 months,” said Richard Angell from the Terrence HIggins Trust HIV charity. “We need to get ready for its rollout now and fund sexual-health clinics to do so.”
