HEALTH
PrEP Injections Every Two Months? Trial Is Promising
Study fi nds new HIV prevention shot performing better than daily Truvada pill
BY MATT TRACY
A clinical trial examining
the effectiveness of
a PrEP injection administered
once every other
month ended early after it not only
showed promising results, but signifi
cantly outperformed the HIV
prevention medication that comes
in a pill form.
The trial, funded by both ViiV
Healthcare and the National Institute
of Allergy and Infectious
Diseases within the National Institutes
of Health, centers on a potential
new HIV prevention drug
that differs from Truvada, the drug
combination that is taken orally
for the same purpose. The injection
contains cabotegravir, a longlasting
antiretroviral, and would
only need to be taken once every
two months — a much less rigorous
requirement compared to Truvada,
which is intended for daily
use or, in specifi c circumstances,
on an as-needed basis.
The trial was launched in 2016
to examine the HIV infection rates
for those taking Truvada for PrEP
compared to those taking cabotegravir
injections. Approximately
4,600 men who have sex with men
and transgender women across
North and South America, Asia,
and Africa, participated in the
trial.
Some participants received Truvada,
while others received cabotegravir,
but none of the parties
involved was aware of which drug
they were taking because placebos
were put in place. The results,
➤ DAVID CARTER, from p.7
ington, DC, chapter of the Mattachine
Society. According to Danzer,
Carter oversaw the work of fi ve
interns during his time at Washington
College, helping their efforts
to explore LGBTQ history.
Doing “service,” as Danzer characterized
it, for young people interested
in LGBTQ history was a
constant in Carter’s life. Danzer
recalled that right up to his death
ViiV Healthcare, whose majority shareholder is GlaxoSmithKline, has shown promising results with a
PrEP formulation that involves injections every other month.
though not peer-reviewed, were
encouraging: cabotegravir yielded
an HIV incidence rate of .38 percent
compared to 1.21 percent for
Truvada, meaning it reduced the
risk of infection by 69 percent as
compared to Truvada.
While adherence was already a
key factor due to the difference in
dosage requirements for the two
options, it may not have played a
major role in the results because
adherence to the pill appeared to
be strong in this study. Eightyseven
percent of those taking the
daily pill had detectable levels of
tenofovir, which is in Truvada.
The demographics of those involved
in the study skewed younger.
Two-thirds of participants were
Carter was fi elding phone calls
from college and high students
pursuing research interests. So
long as the young people had done
their basic homework on the topic,
Carter was happy to give them his
time and attention.
In recent years, Carter supported
his historical work by doing
technical writing for medical publications.
According to Danzer, Carter had
been researching for his Kameny
REUTERS/ MATTHEW CHILDS
under the age of 30, while 12 percent
were trans women, and half
of the American participants were
Black.
The new study represents the
latest example of an apparent trend
toward reducing the adherence
requirements of HIV prevention
medication. While PrEP was long
touted as a daily pill — and still is
— New York City public health offi
cials unveiled guidelines last year
stipulating that PrEP does not necessarily
need to be taken daily, at
least among men (more research
was needed to say the same about
other genders). Rather, individuals
can turn to “PrEP on Demand,” in
which men who have sex with men
can take two pills between two
biography for 11 years. Both Katz
and Jennings voiced the hope that
the disposition of Carter’s papers
will allow other historians to pick
up from where he left off.
“I was really looking forward to
reading his biography of Frank Kameny,”
Jennings said with a note of
sadness.
According to William Carter, David’s
body was fl own back to Jesup
for a small funeral service due to
the restrictions made necessary
and 24 hours before sex, another
pill 24 hours after sex, and a fi nal
pill 24 hours after that. Those who
then continue to have sex should
continue taking PrEP every day
until two days after sexual activity
ends.
If the injection is eventually approved
and rolled out for wider use,
it will give individuals more options
to prevent HIV, in addition to
condoms and an oral pill. It is not
yet clear whether experts foresee
recommending that individuals
utilize both the oral and injection
medications, particularly among
those who struggle with adherence
to one or the other.
A separate study with the same
purpose is examining the effectiveness
of injectable PrEP among
straight women. Experts are also
conducting research into the barriers
that could prevent individuals
from adhering to the injections,
such as clinic appointments.
“We continue to be focused on
the completion of the companion
HPTN 084 study, which will give
us important information about
the effectiveness of cabotegravir
in women,” Kimberly Smith, ViiV’s
head of research and development,
said in a written statement. “New
options are needed for HIV prevention
that offer an effective alternative
to daily oral PrEP. If approved,
this long-acting injectable has the
potential to be a game-changer for
HIV prevention by reducing the
frequency of dosing from 365 days
to six times per year.”
GlaxoSmithKline is the majority
owner of ViiV Healthcare,
by the coronavirus outbreak. Memorial
services in both Jesup and
New York City will be planned once
public health considerations allow
for large gatherings.
David Carter is survived by his
brother William C. Carter and
sister-in-law Lynn, three nieces,
Josephine Monmaney, Sarah Davis,
and Susanna Carter, and fi ve
great nieces and great nephews, as
well as by his long-time friend Eric
Danzer.
May 21 - June 05, 2 26 020 | GayCityNews.com
/GayCityNews.com
