In a groundbreaking development for HIV prevention, Gilead Sciences has announced highly encouraging results from their Phase 3 PURPOSE 2 trial of lenacapavir. While Gilead currently provides lenacapavir in an oral or injectable HIV/AIDS treatment medication under the brand SUNLENCA®, this testing is for a long-acting injectable medication for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention.

At Osra Medical, our team is standing by to share this news that brings hope for a more convenient and potentially more effective option in the fight against HIV.

Gilead announced that in this trial, lenacapavir demonstrated a 96% reduction in HIV infections compared to its control study. An astounding 99.9% of participants receiving lenacapavir did not acquire HIV during the study.

Unlike current daily oral PrEP options, lenacapavir is administered as an injection only twice a year, potentially improving adherence and convenience for users. Lenacapavir proved to be 89% more effective at reducing HIV infections than commonly prescribed oral PrEP medications.

Quoting the release, PURPOSE 2 Principal Investigator Onyema Ogbuagu, Associate Professor of Medicine and Pharmacology at Yale School of Medicine and Director of the Yale Antivirals and Vaccines Research Program says, “Lenacapavir for PrEP could provide an important alternative to existing preventative medications that require more frequent dosing, and could help transform the HIV prevention landscape by addressing a range of unmet needs for individuals who need or want PrEP globally.”

The study showed excellent adherence to the twice-a-year injection schedule, with over 90% of participants receiving on-time injections at both the 26-week and one-year marks.

As a concierge medical practice committed to providing cutting-edge HIV prevention and treatment options to our clients, we’re excited about the potential of lenacapavir. If approved by the FDA, this twice-yearly PrEP option will revolutionize how come patients choose to approach HIV prevention.

Some benefits that this therapy could provide include:

• Reduced frequency of medication administration.
• Potentially improved adherence due to less frequent dosing.
• A highly effective alternative to daily oral PrEP.
• Another tool in our arsenal to combat HIV transmission.

According to this case study, Gilead Sciences plans to begin regulatory filings for lenacapavir by the end of 2024. While we await to hear news regarding FDA approval, the Osra Medical team remains committed to offering the best available oral and injectable PrEP and PEP options to our patients.

Stay tuned for more updates as we work towards a future with more diverse and effective HIV prevention tools! We’ll continue to monitor developments closely and keep our patients informed about this exciting advancement in HIV prevention. As always, we encourage open discussions about PrEP options and are here to answer any questions you may have about your HIV prevention strategy.

At Osra Medical, we strive to provide healthcare at its best to serve all members of our community with dignity, respect, and excellence.

If you’re interested in becoming a member patient of Osra Medical, contact our team to book your introductory appointment with Dr. Mohamed to learn more about how we can help you with primary care, tele-health, and a variety of other healthcare services including on PrEP and PEP.