GlaxoSmithKline PLC (LON:GSK) announced its HIV prevention drug cabotegravir is more effective than the current standard of care according to interim analysis.
ViiV Healthcare, Glaxo’s specialist HIV drugs division developed with fellow giants Pfizer and Shionogi, enrolled 4,600 participants in North and South America, Asia, and Africa to compare cabotegravir with daily tablets of emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate.
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Glaxo’s treatment, which is an injection to be administered every two months, was found to be 69% more effective in preventing HIV acquisition in men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women who have sex with men.
“We are thrilled with the results not only because of the high efficacy of cabotegravir but also because we have demonstrated high efficacy in a study that adequately represents some of the populations most disproportionately impacted by HIV -- black MSM in the US, young MSM globally and transgender women,” said Kimberly Smith, head of research & development at ViiV Healthcare.
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