Twice-yearly lenacapavir pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can be a good option for teens and young adults, a group that often struggles with consistent adherence to daily prevention pills. Worldwide, adolescents and young adults have a higher likelihood of HIV acquisition compared with older people. In June, the Food and Drug Administration approved lenacapavir PrEP (Yeztugo) based on impressive data from the Phase III PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 studies. All participants in PURPOSE 1 were young women ages 16 to 25, a group that bears the brunt of the HIV epidemic in sub-Saharan Africa. In PURPOSE 2, about a third of the gay men and gender-diverse people in the study were 16 to 25. Lenacapavir PrEP demonstrated high effectiveness for young peo--ple. There were zero new HIV acquisitions in PURPOSE 1. In PURPOSE 2, the two people who seroconverted in the lenacapavir group were in the 16-to-25 age group, but the vast majority of young participants remained free of HIV. There were no clinically relevant differences by age in the drug’s pharmacokinetics or safety.
iStock (Model(s) used for illustrative purposes only)
Prevention: Yeztugo for Youth
Worldwide, adolescents and young adults have a higher likelihood of HIV acquisition compared with older people.
Comments
Comments