Demonstration Project of Long-Acting Antiretroviral Therapy in a Diverse Population of People With HIV

Abstract

Background: Intramuscular cabotegravir (CAB) and rilpivirine (RPV) is the only long-acting antiretroviral therapy (LA-ART) regimen approved for people with HIV (PWH). Long-acting ART holds promise for improving outcomes among populations with barriers to adherence but is only approved for PWH who have virologic suppression with use of oral ART before initiating injectables.

Objective: To examine LA-ART in a population of PWH that includes those with viremia.

Design: Observational cohort study.

Setting: Urban academic safety-net HIV clinic.

Patients: Publicly insured adults living with HIV with and without viral suppression, high rates of unstable housing, mental illness, and substance use.

Intervention: Demonstration project of long-acting injectable CAB-RPV.

Measurements: Descriptive statistics summarizing cohort outcomes to date, based on pharmacy team logs and electronic medical record data.

Results: Between June 2021 and November 2022, 133 PWH at the Ward 86 HIV Clinic were started on LA-ART, 76 of whom had virologic suppression while using oral ART and 57 of whom had viremia. The median age was 46 years (IQR, 25 to 68 years); 117 (88%) were cisgender men, 83 (62%) had non-White race, 56 (42%) were experiencing unstable housing or homelessness, and 45 (34%) had substance use. Among those with virologic suppression, 100% (95% CI, 94% to 100%) maintained suppression. Among PWH with viremia, at a median of 33 days, 54 of 57 had viral suppression, 1 showed the expected 2-log₁₀ reduction in HIV RNA level, and 2 experienced early virologic failure. Overall, 97.5% (CI, 89.1% to 99.8%) were projected to achieve virologic suppression by a median of 33 weeks. The current virologic failure rate of 1.5% in the cohort is similar to that across registrational clinical trials at 48 weeks.

Limitation: Single-site study.

Conclusion: This project demonstrates the ability of LA-ART to achieve virologic suppression among PWH, including those with viremia and challenges to adherence. Further data on the ability of LA-ART to achieve viral suppression in people with barriers to adherence are needed.

Primary funding source: National Institutes of Health, City and County of San Francisco, and Health Resources and Services Administration.

Figure.

Kaplan–Meier curve of probability of achieving virologic suppression (viral load <30 copies/mL) with long-acting antiretroviral therapy (n = 57). The dashed lines indicate the 95% CI.