Study shows ‘broad acceptance’ of monthly injection for ART
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A majority of virologically suppressed patients with HIV considered long-acting injectable ART to be acceptable, according to results from the CUSTOMIZE study presented during IDWeek.
Prior research has shown that the regimen — a monthly injection of cabotegravir (ViiV Healthcare) and rilpivirine (Janssen Pharmaceuticals) — is noninferior to daily oral therapy.
“The results show broad acceptance of this new delivery strategy for [antiretrovirals]. The main clinical outcome in my opinion is that patients like the option of injectable ART,” Blair Thedinger, MD, associate director of the Kansas City CARE Clinic, told Healio. “Patients want options for ART delivery.”
Thedinger and colleagues recruited virologically suppressed patients with HIV from eight clinics across the United States. They gave patients a baseline survey before their initial injection and a second survey after their fourth injection to determine patients’ attitudes about the regimen’s acceptability and appropriateness. A total of 109 patients completed the baseline survey and 105 completed the follow-up survey at 4 months.
A total of 33% of participants reported hiding oral ART treatment from others, and 22% noted problems with remembering to take their daily ART (P > .05). According to the 4-month survey, 84% of participants said monthly clinical visits were extremely acceptable, whereas 66% noted no logistical issues with administration of the regimen at a clinic. The most common concern among patients at baseline was injection pain or soreness (58%), with only 28% of patients reporting that concern at month 4.
“I have been surprised by my patients’ enthusiasm for long-acting injectables, even when they were taking other daily medications,” Thedinger told Healio. “This study does not address the use of long-acting injectables in patients who struggle to maintain undetectable HIV viral loads due to nonadherence. Many clinicians are hopeful that long-acting injectables offer an easier alternative for these patients, but I think that is not clear from these results.”
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Garris C, et al. Abstract 1034. Presented at: IDWeek; Oct. 21-25, 2020 (virtual meeting).
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