GOOD NEWS TO HIV PATIENTS AND THEIR PARTNERS

Kenyans at risk of contracting HIV might in the near future need to take just one pill a month to prevent infection, if a trial by Kemri scientists is successful.

Today, HIV negative individuals can take a pill daily to avoid infection, but only a few do so consistently due to pill burden, stigma and side effects.

The new trial could be a game changer if it is successful, scientists say.

The research team includes scientists Nelly Mugo and Elizabeth Bukusi of the Kenya Medical Research Institute.

“We will not turn the tide on HIV globally until we turn the tide on the virus in Africa, and this clinical trial seeks to help advance this effort through its focus on women, especially younger women, who remain disproportionately at risk on this continent,” said Prof Bukusi, one of the trial investigators and chief research officer at Kemri.

The Phase III trial, known as Impower 22, will assess the safety and efficacy of the monthly oral Islatravir pill compared to the daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (Prep).

Islatravir is produced by US drugs giant Merck and has already proved 100 per cent effective in animal studies and in laboratories.

A total of 4,500 HIV-negative women aged 16 to 45 will take part in the trial beginning anytime this month in Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, Malawi, Eswatini, Zimbabwe and Zambia.  

Last week on Thursday, the University of Washington, which is leading the study, announced it has received a Sh13.2 billion ($122 million) grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to conduct the trial over five years.

“This could be a game changer,” Dr Connie Celum, a UW professor and the study’s lead investigator, said.

“The whole field is moving toward less adherence-dependent and easier strategies for users of HIV prevention.”

Experts say prevention is key to ending the HIV epidemic. Kenya runs one of the largest Prep projects in the world – known as Jilinde. However, it has been plagued by extremely high dropout rates.

Data from Jilinde show only one per cent adolescent girls and young women who begin using Prep continue beyond three months.

The complaint is that they are perceived as HIV-positive because the prevention pill looks identical to ARVs. They also expressed uncertainty about HIV risk, challenges with discreet product storage, remembering to take a pill daily and potential side effects.

“Globally, women continue to be underserved in HIV research and care. In 2019, women accounted for 48 per cent of new infections, and in 2018, Aids-related illnesses remained the leading cause of death for women during their reproductive years,” Prof Bukusi said.

Islatravir is not without side effects, and 53 per cent of users in past trials reported at least one adverse event. The most common ones reported were gastrointestinal symptoms (nausea, stomach pain, diarrhoea) and headache.

If used consistently, Prep can reduce the risk of getting HIV from unprotected sex by over 90 per cent. In Kenya, the drugs are available free of charge in health facilities.

Sourced from The Star