There may be hope on the horizon for HIV sufferers who have to take a daily drug cocktail to suppress to the deadly virus.
For ViiV Healthcare has come up with a once-a-month injection that is as effective as the current standard of care.
Combined in the jab are of cabotegravir and rilpivirine, which replace the three-drug, daily regimen currently prescribed to HIV-sufferers.
A phase III efficacy study called ATLAS – which stands for antiretroviral therapy as long-acting suppression – assessed people over a 48-week period.
Long-acting formulation performed well
The idea was to show that the long-acting formulation was no worse – the technical term is non-inferior – to what is currently prescribed.
The initial read-out from the trial revealed the new drug combination maintained similar levels of viral suppression as the standard of care.
“If approved, this regimen would give people living with HIV one month between each dose of antiretroviral therapy, changing HIV treatment from 365 dosing days per year, to just 12," said John Pottage, ViiV’s chief scientific and medical officer.
The company, majority owned by GlaxoSmithKline (LON:GSK), counts Pfizer as one of its other shareholders.