An international clinical trial led by researchers including Professor Chloe Orkin of Queen Mary University of London announced on July 29 that a once-weekly oral treatment for HIV is as effective as one of today's leading daily therapies. The new option could reduce the burden associated with lifelong daily pill-taking.
The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and presented at the International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro, come from the Phase 3 ISLEND-1 trial. This study evaluated a once-weekly tablet combining islatravir and lenacapavir in adults whose HIV was already well controlled.
The study involved 607 adults across 106 clinical sites in 12 countries. Participants who had maintained viral suppression on standard daily treatment were randomly assigned to either switch to the once-weekly tablet or remain on their existing daily medication. After 48 weeks, results showed that more than 93% of participants in both groups maintained viral suppression, and no participants receiving the weekly treatment experienced virological failure during the study.
Researchers said this addresses ongoing challenges in HIV care. While modern medicines have made HIV a manageable long-term condition, taking medication every day can contribute to stigma and treatment fatigue for some people. The weekly tablet combines two long-acting antiretroviral medicines— islatravir and lenacapavir— with complementary mechanisms enabling effective once-weekly dosing.
The study remains ongoing, with participants continuing to be followed for a total of 96 weeks to assess longer-term safety and effectiveness.
