Long-Acting HIV Therapies: Real-World Data and Clinical Application

EP: 1.HIV Viral Suppression: Clinical Significance and Impact on Patient Outcomes

EP: 2.Changing Patient Demographics in HIV and Impacts of Polypharmacy on Treatment

EP: 3.Phase 3 HIV Treatment Switch Studies: Key Findings From Recent Clinical Trials

EP: 4.HIV Therapy Without Integrase Inhibitor: Practical Advantages and Targeted Patient Populations

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EP: 5.Long-Acting HIV Therapies: Real-World Data and Clinical Application

EP: 6.CD4 T-cell and Lymphocyte Monitoring: Clinical Significance in HIV Treatment

Long-Acting Injectable Therapy – Real-World Evidence

Key Themes:

• Injectable Option: Cabotegravir (integrase inhibitor) plus rilpivirine as an intramuscular injection given every other month
• Real-World Performance: The OPERA cohort followed nearly 3000 US patients receiving this combination outside clinical trials.
• Adherence Challenges: Importance of timely injections, with 62% of patients receiving injections on schedule and 12% missing injections
• Clinical Implications: Risk of resistance development if injections are delayed or missed

Notable Insights from Dr Sharon Walmsley:

• Real-world virologic suppression rates exceeded 95%, with less than 1% experiencing virologic failure, mirroring clinical trial results.
• High body mass index was not associated with treatment failure in this cohort, contrasting with some earlier studies, likely due to improved administration techniques (longer needles).
• Injectable therapy offers psychological benefits to patients who are “tired of swallowing pills” or find daily oral medication a constant reminder of HIV status.
• Clinics need systematic approaches to track and ensure timely administration of injections to prevent resistance development.