Long-acting HIV injections administered every eight weeks have proven significantly superior to daily oral tablets in keeping the virus suppressed among adolescents, according to findings from the University College London-led LATA trial published in The Lancet. Spanning 476 participants aged 12 to 19 across clinical sites in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, the study demonstrated that after 96 weeks, viral rebound occurred in only 1 per cent of the adolescents receiving cabotegravir and rilpivirine injections, contrasted with 6 per cent of those taking daily medication. Professor Sarah Pett, chief investigator at the UCL Innovative Clinical Trials Unit, emphasized that because HIV-positive youth often face social stigma and difficulties adhering to daily routines, bi-monthly injections offer a powerful alternative that adolescents overwhelmingly preferred, with 94 per cent reporting it was much easier than taking daily pills. Despite the World Health Organization recommending long-acting injectables as an alternative option for those with fully suppressed HIV, researchers and trial leaders like Dr. Mutsa Bwakura-Dangarembizi expressed deep concern that roughly nine out of 10 adolescents with HIV live in Africa, yet these treatments remain largely inaccessible outside a few specialized clinics due to high patent costs, supply chain refrigeration needs for rilpivirine, and a lack of generic alternatives. Dr. Deborah Ford added that this critical shortage risks exacerbating global healthcare disparities, especially with second- and third-generation treatments already in trial, noting that the study was sponsored by UCL, funded by the European Union and Johnson & Johnson, and backed by collaborative efforts from multiple international academic institutions and regional research networks.
Why HIV Injections Are More Effective Than Daily Pills at Suppressing the Virus
