A new HIV prevention method of injecting a drug called lencapavir just twice a year has shown unprecedented results, better than daily oral medications.

In a clinical trial called PURPOSE-2, led by Emory University and Grady Health System, the injection reduced the risk of HIV infection by 96%. The discovery could change the landscape of HIV prevention, especially for people who struggle to adhere to daily medication routines.

Currently, oral medications such as Truvada, which are part of a regimen called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis), are highly effective but require daily intake. Missing doses can significantly reduce their effectiveness.

“We saw that about half of people stopped taking daily oral PEP within a year for a variety of reasons,” said Dr. Colleen Kelly, lead author of the study and a professor at Emory University.

The Phase III trial enrolled 2,179 participants for lencapavir and 1,086 participants for Truvada at 88 sites globally. The results showed only two new HIV infections in the lencapavir group compared with nine in the Truvada group.

Dr. Kelly emphasized that the injection’s long-term safety and ease of use could make it a game-changer, especially for populations most affected by HIV, such as Black and Hispanic individuals, cisgender gay men, and health Others with limited access to care.

Dr. Valeria Cantos, another investigator, highlighted the study’s commitment to diversity. The trial included participants from the US, South America, Africa and Asia, with content and staff that accommodated diverse languages ​​and cultures.

This approach, published in The New England Journal of Medicine, was particularly influential at Grady Memorial Hospital, which serves underserved populations.

The potential approval of lencapavir by 2025 is an important step forward in HIV prevention. Experts like Dr. Carlos del Rio of Emory University stress the importance of equitable access to such innovations.

“If made widely available, long-acting antiretrovirals like lencapavir could dramatically reduce HIV infections,” he said.

In a previous double-blind study, in women and teenage girls in Africa, lencapavir was shown to be 100% effective against deadly HIV.

But despite the drug’s high effectiveness and easy convenience compared to traditional methods of medication, its high cost of $40,000 per person annually remains a barrier.

In October, Indian pharmaceutical companies including Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Emcure Pharmaceuticals will produce generic versions of lencapavir under non-exclusive agreements with Gilead Sciences, the maker of the new HIV drug.

These deals now allow the companies to manufacture and supply lencapavir to 120 resource-limited countries pending regulatory approval.

This will help ensure faster access to the drug in low-income countries with high HIV rates.