A single injection of the experimental drug lenacapavir emerged as a potential new HIV drug. It was able to reduce HIV levels in the blood in a small group of patients. Additionally, the drug was also able to maintain active blood levels for more than six months. All of this increases the chances that one day there will be an efficient oneTreatment against AIDSwhich only needs to be carried out twice a year.
Good prospects for new HIV drug
Current treatment regimens using combinations of oral medications, which physicians and patients often refer to as “cocktails,” generally work quite well. This is shared by the co-author of the study, Dr. Martin Rhee, director of clinical research at the pharmaceutical company developing lenacapavir. However, those treated often claim that taking daily pills can be a burden over time. So the hope is that a longer-acting new HIV drug could free people from daily pills. Additionally, longer-acting medications could potentially offer an easier way to prevent AIDS in high-risk individuals. This is currently done on a daily basisTherapy called PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)is known.
However, a lot of research still needs to be done. The new study provides a proof of principle that a dosing interval of six months at a time is possible. Researchers found that lenacapavir appeared safe in 40 healthy people. In addition, it was able to remain active in the body for more than six months. And in 32 people with previously untreated HIV, a single injection reduced virus levels in the blood within nine days. The catch is that HIV is not treated with just one drug. In order to permanently suppress the virus and limit the likelihood, a new HIV drug would have to be effective against the resistant viruses. So for a twice-a-year regimen to become a reality, developers would need to be able to pair two long-acting drugs.
Therapeutic perspectives
The researchers are studying a combination of two drugs that they administered monthly - cabotegravir and rilpivirine. The hope is to maintain HIV suppression in patients who have brought the virus down to very low levels with standard oral medications. The researchers are now also testing cabotegravir for HIV prevention in high-risk people. In addition, in these studies they administer injections with the active ingredient every two months. Although infrequent doses are convenient and make compliance easier, there are safety issues. For example, if the medicine has side effects, does this mean that sick people still have to take it for six months?
To avoid this, the researchers inthis studyan introductory phase was carried out. Patients first take oral versions of the long-acting medications to ensure they can tolerate them. Another concern is what might happen if patients miss or delay an injection. If levels of the drug in the body decrease, the virus could return and potentially develop resistance to the drug. Rhee agrees that this is an issue that will affect all HIV drugs in development. Nevertheless, the progress towards new options is encouraging. People living with HIV should know that scientists are still working on new therapies, including ways to cure the disease.
