Clinical Trials

The drug demonstrated a superior efficacy in maintaining viral load suppression compared to daily oral therapy in patients with a history of ART adherence challenges.

The trial is ongoing, however the DSMB has undertaken this planned interim review, which concluded that the long-acting ART demonstrated superior efficacy over daily oral standard of care, and recommended that all eligible trial participants should be offered the cabotegravir and rilpivirine treatment.

According to the company’s press release: ‘LATITUDE is sponsored and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and is being conducted by ACTG, with additional support from the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, ViiV Healthcare and the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson’.

Kimberly Smith MD MPH, head of research and development at ViiV Healthcare, commented: “The interim data indicating the superiority of long-acting therapy compared to daily oral therapy in individuals who have difficulty taking pills for HIV every day is a remarkable outcome. There are many reasons why people may find it challenging to stay on daily oral treatment and the LATITUDE study shows cabotegravir and rilpivirine injectable treatment can help them keep their virus suppressed, which benefits their overall health. Optimising therapy for all people living with HIV, including those with adherence challenges, is critical to the effort to end the HIV epidemic.”