What is Long-Acting Injectable PrEP?

Source - Apretude

In 2021, ViiV (a GSK company) released Apretude for PrEP, the first long-acting injectable medication for the prevention of HIV. Patients on Apretude receive the injection at their provider’s office every 2 months and no longer have to take daily pills. Oral options for PrEP include Truvada and Descovy. Truvada is also available generic. 

What is Apretude? 
Apretude is the brand name for cabotegravir which is an integrase inhibitor. Integrase inhibitors have been used to treat HIV since 2007 however this is the first time one has been used for prevention (aka PrEP). 

Patients will receive 1 injection at each treatment visit in the glute. The first two injections are 1 month apart and after that, the injections are every 2 months. The injection is 3 mL and is typically given with a 23G 1 and ½ inch needle. 

Who is Apretude for? 
Apretude is for any person who is sexually active with partner(s) of unknown HIV status. Clinical studies for Apretude included cisgender men and women, trans and gender-nonconforming folks, and a large number of Black and Latinx patients - the most diverse clinical trial for PrEP to date. 

MANY more people are eligible for PrEP due to risk than are on it. PrEP is not just for the gay male community!

Does Apretude work? 
Yes, Apretude was even shown to be more effective than daily oral pills to prevent HIV transmission in the HPTN 083 and HPTN 084 trials.