Progress Being Made on First Injectable HIV Treatment

ViiV Healthcare and Janssen announced collaboration on a Phase III study and commercialization of a long-acting, injectable HIV regimen.

I find this to be fantastic news for those living with HIV, and specifically those patients that need more choice over treatment and better drug options in their journey to better control their viral load and remain adherent. This announcement from ViiV and Janssen is one that I have been waiting to hear since I was diagnosed with the virus in 2012–a long-acting injectable to treat HIV.

According to the press release: 

ViiV Healthcare, a global specialist HIV company with GSK, Pfizer Inc. and Shionogi Limited as shareholders, today formalised its collaboration with Janssen Sciences Ireland UC (Janssen) for the phase III investigation and commercialisation of the long-acting, injectable formulations of cabotegravir (ViiV Healthcare) and rilpivirine (Janssen) for the treatment of HIV-1 infection. The long-acting formulations of cabotegravir (CAB LA) and rilpivirine (RPV LA) are being investigated as an injectable maintenance treatment for patients who have achieved viral suppression.

The companies plan on beginning the study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the long-acting injectable in mid 2016, according to information delivered to imstilljosh.com.

“As a company committed to innovation in the field of HIV, this agreement with Janssen will enable us to progress the development of the first long-acting, injectable two drug regimen,” said Dominique Limet, CEO, ViiV Healthcare. “If successful, this regimen would offer people living with HIV who have achieved viral suppression an alternative option to the standard oral daily, three drug therapy.”

According to healthline.com, HIV treatment “does prevent HIV from reproducing and causing the usually fatal complications that used to be unavoidable.”