The FDA have officially OKed a new injectable form of the HIV treatment pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) last week. Named Apretude, the injection will be available for use by at-risk adults and teens that “weigh a minimum 77 pounds and test negative for HIV prior to treatment.”
The treatment’s approval comes after two double-blind studies found that patients that took Apretude were 90% less likely of contracting HIV as compared to study participants that took oral PrEP treatment Truvada. There is also hope that Apretude will boost adherence levels as well since it doesn’t have to be taken daily. Apretude is administered in two initial shots one month apart and subsequent injections every two months afterward.
This is great news for all you forgetful PrEP-takers out there! Now you can just remember to show up to the doctor’s office every 2 months. Hopefully this also won’t be as costly as PrEP is by the pill. Maybe they can work on that next??
[via towleroad]
Hmm! They should think about an anal application formulation to encourage compliance.
If you are forgetting to take PrEP, you should forget to have sex too.
The time for excuses is long past!