Infect Chemother.  2021 Dec;53(4):686-695. 10.3947/ic.2021.0136.

Long-Acting Injectable Antiretroviral Agents for HIV Treatment and Prevention

• Kim YS

• KMID: 2524049
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3947/ic.2021.0136

Abstract

Current oral antiretroviral agents provide highly effective treatment for patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and can be used as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent new HIV infections. Several single-tablet regimens with excellent antiviral efficacy have dramatically improved the quality of life of patients who can adhere to daily oral therapy. However, there is increasing demand on long-acting injectable antiretroviral agents for patients who cannot take oral agents or feel fatigue related to daily pill burden. Monthly long-acting (LA) cabotegravir (CAB) combined with rilpivirine (RPV) has recently been listed as optimizing agent for maintenance of HIV suppression in treatment-experienced patients whose viral load is undetectable for 3 to 6 months. Novel agents with different mechanism of action and long half-life extending dosing interval are being tested in phase 2 and 3 clinical trials. This review summarizes the data of efficacies and safety profiles of LA CAB with RPV regimen, and also new long-acting injectable antiretroviral agents in pipeline.

Keyword

Human immunodeficiency virus; Long-acting; Injectable antiretroviral agents; Pre-exposure prophylaxis