Twice-yearly injections of the capsid inhibitor drug lenacapavir can prevent the vast majority of HIV infections, according to a Phase 3 clinical trial published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.
HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has emerged as a crucial tool for fighting the global HIV epidemic, but researchers say daily pill regimens remain an obstacle to treatment adherence. “Long acting antiretrovirals have raised the bar with respect to the reach, efficacy and effectiveness that can be achieved in our efforts to prevent HIV,” said Onyema Ogbuagu, MBBCh, associate professor of medicine and pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine and director of the Yale Antivirals and Vaccines Research Program, who was the senior author of the study.
The trial enrolled 3,271 cisgender men and gender-diverse people and compared HIV twice-yearly lenacapavir injection to background infection rates and to Truvada, a daily pill for PrEP. Researchers say among 2,179 participants in the lenacapavir group, they found only two incident HIV infections – a 96% reduction compared to background HIV incidence. The Truvada group had nine incident cases among 1,086 participants. No new or significant safety concerns were identified.
The trial found lenacapavir decreased HIV incidence by 89% compared to Truvada. “Our study showed that twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir, beyond protecting 99.9% of recipients from acquiring HIV, superiorly outperformed a standard of care oral comparator, was safe and well tolerated,” Ogbuagu said.
Researchers say the nine participants in the Truvada group who experienced incident HIV infection showed evidence of low or no treatment adherence, underscoring the importance of PrEP options that fit a variety of patients and lifestyles. “With these results, we now have a new, potent and proven tool that can allow us expand and strengthen efforts to end HIV transmission globally,” Ogbuagu added.
About Yale School of Medicine
Yale School of Medicine educates leaders in medicine and science, fostering curiosity and critical inquiry in a diverse, inclusive environment. It is a global leader in biomedical research, clinical care, and medical education, ranking fourth in NIH funding and tenth in NIH dollars per faculty member. With over 1,700 physicians, Yale provides compassionate care to patients worldwide. The Yale System of Medical Education emphasizes critical thinking and independent research, producing leaders in academic medicine.
News
Scientists Are Pretty Close to Replicating the First Thing That Ever Lived
For 400 million years, a leading hypothesis claims, Earth was an “RNA World,” meaning that life must’ve first replicated from RNA before the arrival of proteins and DNA. Unfortunately, scientists have failed to find [...]
Why ‘Peniaphobia’ Is Exploding Among Young People (And Why We Should Be Concerned)
An insidious illness is taking hold among a growing proportion of young people. Little known to the general public, peniaphobia—the fear of becoming poor—is gaining ground among teens and young adults. Discover the causes [...]
Team finds flawed data in recent study relevant to coronavirus antiviral development
The COVID pandemic illustrated how urgently we need antiviral medications capable of treating coronavirus infections. To aid this effort, researchers quickly homed in on part of SARS-CoV-2's molecular structure known as the NiRAN domain—an [...]
Drug-Coated Neural Implants Reduce Immune Rejection
Summary: A new study shows that coating neural prosthetic implants with the anti-inflammatory drug dexamethasone helps reduce the body’s immune response and scar tissue formation. This strategy enhances the long-term performance and stability of electrodes [...]
Scientists discover cancer-fighting bacteria that ‘soak up’ forever chemicals in the body
A family of healthy bacteria may help 'soak up' toxic forever chemicals in the body, warding off their cancerous effects. Forever chemicals, also known as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), are toxic chemicals that [...]
Johns Hopkins Researchers Uncover a New Way To Kill Cancer Cells
A new study reveals that blocking ribosomal RNA production rewires cancer cell behavior and could help treat genetically unstable tumors. Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and the Department of Radiation Oncology and Molecular [...]
AI matches doctors in mapping lung tumors for radiation therapy
In radiation therapy, precision can save lives. Oncologists must carefully map the size and location of a tumor before delivering high-dose radiation to destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. But this process, called [...]
Scientists Finally “See” Key Protein That Controls Inflammation
Researchers used advanced microscopy to uncover important protein structures. For the first time, two important protein structures in the human body are being visualized, thanks in part to cutting-edge technology at the University of [...]
AI tool detects 9 types of dementia from a single brain scan
Mayo Clinic researchers have developed a new artificial intelligence (AI) tool that helps clinicians identify brain activity patterns linked to nine types of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, using a single, widely available scan—a transformative [...]
Is plastic packaging putting more than just food on your plate?
New research reveals that common food packaging and utensils can shed microscopic plastics into our food, prompting urgent calls for stricter testing and updated regulations to protect public health. Beyond microplastics: The analysis intentionally [...]
Aging Spreads Through the Bloodstream
Summary: New research reveals that aging isn’t just a local cellular process—it can spread throughout the body via the bloodstream. A redox-sensitive protein called ReHMGB1, secreted by senescent cells, was found to trigger aging features [...]
AI and nanomedicine find rare biomarkers for prostrate cancer and atherosclerosis
Imagine a stadium packed with 75,000 fans, all wearing green and white jerseys—except one person in a solid green shirt. Finding that person would be tough. That's how hard it is for scientists to [...]
Are Pesticides Breeding the Next Pandemic? Experts Warn of Fungal Superbugs
Fungicides used in agriculture have been linked to an increase in resistance to antifungal drugs in both humans and animals. Fungal infections are on the rise, and two UC Davis infectious disease experts, Dr. George Thompson [...]
Scientists Crack the 500-Million-Year-Old Code That Controls Your Immune System
A collaborative team from Penn Medicine and Penn Engineering has uncovered the mathematical principles behind a 500-million-year-old protein network that determines whether foreign materials are recognized as friend or foe. How does your body [...]
Team discovers how tiny parts of cells stay organized, new insights for blocking cancer growth
A team of international researchers led by scientists at City of Hope provides the most thorough account yet of an elusive target for cancer treatment. Published in Science Advances, the study suggests a complex signaling [...]
Nanomaterials in Ophthalmology: A Review
Eye diseases are becoming more common. In 2020, over 250 million people had mild vision problems, and 295 million experienced moderate to severe ocular conditions. In response, researchers are turning to nanotechnology and nanomaterials—tools that are transforming [...]
