HIV Breakthrough: Trial Shows Drug Provides 100% Protection
14th July 2024
twice-yearly injection of a new pre-exposure prophylaxis drug gives young women total protection from HIV infection.
The trial tested whether the six-month injection of lenacapavir would provide better protection against HIV infection than two other drugs, both daily pills. All three medications are pre-exposure prophylaxis (or PrEP) drugs.
Physician-scientist Linda-Gail Bekker, the principal investigator for the South African part of the study, tells Nadine Dreyer of The Conversation what makes this breakthrough so significant, and what to expect next.