In the next 5-10 years, long-acting drugs for H.I.V. prevention and treatment may become available, offering a significant improvement over the current need for daily pills. Scientists are developing new regimens including once-weekly pills and semiannual shots, which could ease stigma associated with taking daily medication for H.I.V., as well as improve adherence to treatment plans. These long-acting therapies may eliminate the need to remember to take a daily pill for H.I.V. prevention or treatment, making it easier for individuals to manage their condition and potentially reducing the spread of the virus in hard-to-reach populations.
These new drugs are being developed by Gsk Plc, Merck & Company, Unitaid, and Viiv Healthcare Ltd., all of which are working towards a future where H.I.V. may only require attention twice a year. Mitchell Warren, executive director of the H.I.V prevention organization AVAC, calls this period the next wave of innovation in H.I.V prevention and treatment.
In addition to those mentioned above, other individuals involved in the development and administration of these new treatments include Dr. Rachel Bender Ignacio, director of University of Washington's UW Positive; Phoebe Bryson-Cahn, a research clinician at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle; and Santos Rodriguez, who was diagnosed with HIV in 2016. These individuals are working tirelessly to develop and administer long-acting therapies that could revolutionize the way H.I.V. is treated and prevent the spread of the virus.
Overall, these new long-acting drugs have the potential to greatly improve the lives of those living with H.I.V., making treatment more accessible and easier to manage, while also potentially reducing the spread of the virus in hard-to-reach populations.
