Results from HPTN 083, a global large-scale study, show that the long-acting drug cabotegravir (CAB LA) is highly effective for prevention of HIV acquisition in cisgender men and transgender women. The study compares effectiveness of injections and oral tablets as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and is the first large-scale clinical trial of a long-acting injectable drug for HIV prevention.
“The decades-long search for a vaccine to prevent HIV reached a new milestone as results from HPTN 083, a global large-scale study, show that the long-acting drug cabotegravir (CAB LA) protects uninfected people from HIV. The study, begun in December 2016, compared the safety and efficacy of the injectable drug, given every two months, to Truvada, a daily pill combining two drugs, for pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. Findings showed that CAB LA lowered HIV incidence among cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men, leading to a promising alternative to daily medication.”