Swindells, J.-F. Andrade-Villanueva, G.J. Richmond, G. Rizzardini, A. Baumgarten, M. Masiá, G. Latiff, V. Pokrovsky, F. Bredeek, G. Smith, P. Cahn, Y.-S. Kim, S.L. Ford, C.L. Talarico, P. Patel, V. Chounta, H. Crauwels, W. Parys, S. Vanveggel, J. Mrus, J. Huang, C.M. Harrington, K.J. Hudson, D.A. Margolis, K.Y. Smith, P.E. Williams, and W.R. Spreen. Long-Acting Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine for Maintenance of HIV-1 SuppressionS. N Engl J Med 2020;382:1112-23.DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1904398
Simplified regimens for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection may increase patient satisfaction and facilitate adherence.
METHODS:
In this phase 3, open-label, multicenter, noninferiority trial involving patients who had had plasma HIV-1 RNA levels of less than 50 copies per milliliter for at least 6 months while taking standard oral antiretroviral therapy, we randomly assigned participants (1:1) to either continue their oral therapy or switch to monthly intra-muscular injections of long-acting cabotegravir, an HIV-1 integrase strand-transfer inhibitor, and long-acting rilpivirine, a nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibi-tor. The primary end point was the percentage of participants with an HIV-1 RNA level of 50 copies per milliliter or higher at week 48, determined with the use of the Food and Drug Administration snapshot algorithm.
Conclusions:
Monthly injections of long-acting cabotegravir and rilpivirine were noninferior to standard oral therapy for maintaining HIV-1 suppression. Injection-related adverse events were common but only infrequently led to medication withdrawal.