Injection therapy for HIV patients

HIV infection can effectively be controlled by an antiretroviral injection administered every two months, a study has found.

The results suggest a new way of managing the virus that causes Aids without the burden of having to take daily pills.

Scientists tested an injectable anti-retroviral therapy (ART) consisting of the two drugs cabotegravir and rilpivirine.

A total of 286 Hiv-positive patients took part in the Phase II trial, having already suppressed the virus with oral medication.

They were split into groups and randomly given further maintenance treatment in the form of more pills, or injections either once a month or once every two months.

The international study conducted in the US, Germany, Canada, Spain, France and Germany found that the two-monthly injections continued to control the infection in 94 per cent of patients over 96 weeks.

This treatment was more effective than either ongoing oral medication (84 per cent) or the monthly injection (87 per cent).

Dr David Margolis, from the US pharmaceutical company Viiv Healthcare said injections may represent the “next revolution” in HIV therapy.