'On-demand' PrEP regimen successful among MSM

Healio
Original Article:  bit.ly/1As5zu4

SEATTLE — An “on-demand” pre-exposure prophylaxis regimen was highly successful at preventing HIV among men who have sex with men, according to results of the ANRS Ipergay trial.

The regimen involves taking Truvada (tenofovir/emtricitabine, Gilead Sciences) before and after each sexual encounter: two pills taken 2 to 24 hours before sex, one pill taken 24 hours later and one pill taken 48 hours after the first drug intake.

“Adherence is the ‘Achilles’ heel’ of PrEP,” Jean-Michel Molina, MD, PhD, of Paris Diderot University, said during his presentation. “This more convenient dosing regimen could improve adherence, safety and cost-effectiveness, making PrEP more attractive.”

Molina and colleagues evaluated the on-demand regimen in a randomized trial that included 414 HIV-negative, high-risk MSM who were randomly assigned to the on-demand regimen or placebo. Both patient groups also received full prevention services, including counseling, condoms and gels, testing and treatment for STDs, vaccination for hepatitis B and hepatitis A viruses and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP). The primary efficacy endpoint was HIV seroconversion, and secondary endpoints included safety and tolerability, adherence, sexual behavior and STDs.

Full text of article available at link below:  bit.ly/1As5zu4