On December 20th, 2021 U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Cabotegravir for for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in at-risk adults and adolescents under the brand name Apretude. This is the same drug that was approved earlier in 2021 for treatment, but is now also approved for PrEP. There are a couple of options to take this new form of PrEP. Patients can begin with two initiation injections administered one month apart, and then every two months thereafter. They also have the option to start with the formal form of cabotegravir (Vocabria) for four weeks to determine drug tolerance, and then switch to the injectable.
This is good news for those seeking alternatives to Descovy and Truvada. Got questions? Call or text 207-553-PREP. We've got answers.
References
Commissioner, Office of the Food and Drug Administration. “FDA Approves First Injectable Treatment for HIV Pre-Exposure Prevention.” U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, 20 Dec. 2021, https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-injectable-treatment-hiv-pre-exposure-prevention.