Anti-HIV: Injection now available in South Africa

The new injection offers two months of protection from HIV with a single shot.

According to Spotlight, earlier this month a resident of Cape Town became one of the first recipients of the groundbreaking HIV prevention injection, marking a significant step outside of clinical trials.

The injection features a long-acting formulation of the antiretroviral drug cabotegravir, abbreviated as CAB-LA.

“We were excited and nervous at the same time because (we) didn’t know how this person is going to react to an injection,” said nurse and study coordinator Pakama Mapukata.

HIV PREVENTION JAB LESS PAINFUL

Mapukata added that there was a positive response from the individual. The recipient also said that the CAB-LA shot was less painful than previous injections they had received for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

While the injection is not widely available to the general public yet, a select group in the country can access it through various pilot projects.

Among these initiatives is the FAST PrEP study, led by the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation (DTHF) in Cape Town. Technically speaking, access to the jab is limited to a FAST PrEP sub-study called Prepare to Choose.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), involving the use of antiretrovirals to prevent HIV infection, is available in different forms such as pills, vaginal rings, and injections.

TARGETING THE RIGHT PEOPLE

Social behavioural scientist Elzette Rousseau, and the lead co-investigator in the implementation team for FAST PrEP, said that five people took up the CAB-LA injection on the first day it was offered.

“The first two, at least, that came through was a young MSM [men who have sex with men] and one was a young woman, which is definitely exciting because that is the population that we would want to come to our services which will benefit most from it,” she said.

As of 21 February, 19 CAB-LA injections had been administered in South Africa.