Long-acting ART (LA-ART) can cause virologic suppression for people with HIV, including those with viremia, according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH, and colleagues examined data for 133 people with HIV who were started on LA-ART, including 76 who achieved virologic suppression with oral ART and 57 with viremia. The researchers found that 100% of those with virologic suppression maintained it with LA-ART. Among those with viremia, 54 of 57 reached viral suppression at a median of 33 days, one showed an anticipated reduction in HIV RNA, and two experienced early virologic failure. By a median of 33 weeks, 97.5% of patients were projected to achieve virologic suppression. The current virologic failure rate of 1.5% was comparable to that seen at 48 weeks across registered clinical trials. “Although LA-ART holds considerable potential to be a game-changer for HIV treatment in patients experiencing barriers to oral ART adherence, additional data from demonstration projects will be needed to confirm sustainable benefits over time,” Dr. Gandhi and colleagues wrote.
