A New, Every Other Month Injection to Prevent HIV?!?

Break It Down: What is HIV in plain English?

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. The immune system is a network of cells and tissues that help protect the body from infection. HIV attacks white blood cells, a type of cell that helps the body fight infection.

How Apretude and PrEP work to reduce the risk of HIV

Apretude™ (the name brand for injectable cabotegravir) is a medication that blocks the addition of HIV RNA (essential for all life; RNA, like DNA, carries the genetic instructions that cells need to make proteins) into the DNA of a CD4 cell. A CD4 cell is a type of white blood cell that is important for the immune system and helps other white blood cells fight infection. When HIV sneaks its way into our genetic instructions, HIV can replicate and make new copies of itself. PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) prevents HIV from reproducing and making new copies of itself. It is a way to prevent HIV infection by taking medication before being exposed to the virus. Apretude is one of many types of PrEP medication. Taking Apretude for PrEP builds up in your body and creates a barrier against HIV. If exposed to HIV, the Apretude in your body will block the virus from integrating into your CD4 cells and replicating. Apretude is nice because it can be taken as a long-acting injection every two months for PrEP.

How HIV Gets Into Your Body

If you're scratching your head, here's another walkthrough in other words:

1. HIV enters the body through a break in the skin or through mucous membranes, such as the lining of the vagina or rectum.

2. HIV attaches to a CD4 cell, a type of white blood cell that helps protect the body from infection.

3. HIV enters the CD4 cell and releases its genetic material (RNA).

4. HIV uses the CD4 cell's machinery to make copies of its RNA.

5. HIV integrates its RNA into the DNA of the CD4 cell.

6. The integrated HIV RNA produces new HIV proteins and viral particles.

7. The new HIV particles are released from the CD4 cell and can infect other CD4 cells.

How Apretude and PrEP work to reduce the risk of HIV

Now that we understand how HIV does its damage, let's recap how HIV and PrEP work interact:

• HIV enters the body through a break in the skin or through mucous membranes, such as the lining of the vagina or rectum.

• HIV attaches to a CD4 cell.

• HIV enters the CD4 cell and releases its genetic material (RNA).

• Apretude blocks HIV from integrating its RNA into the DNA of the CD4 cell.

• This prevents HIV from replicating and making new copies of itself.

PrEP is effective at preventing HIV infection because it creates a barrier against HIV before the virus has a chance to enter and infect CD4 cells.

Tell Me More

HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. If left untreated, HIV can lead to AIDS, a condition in which the immune system is so weakened that it cannot fight off infections.

Apretude is a type of medication called an integrase inhibitor. It works by blocking a key enzyme that HIV needs to replicate. This prevents HIV from making new copies of itself and infecting more cells.

PrEP stands for pre-exposure prophylaxis. It is a way to prevent HIV infection by taking medication before being exposed to the virus. PrEP can be taken daily as a pill or long-acting injection every two months.

Taking Apretude for PrEP builds up in your body and creates a barrier against HIV. If exposed to HIV, the Apretude in your body will block the virus from replicating and infecting your cells.

PrEP is very effective at preventing HIV infection. In clinical trials, PrEP reduced the risk of HIV infection by over 90%.

Apretude works by blocking the integration of HIV RNA into the DNA of the CD4 cell. This prevents HIV from replicating and making new copies of itself.

PrEP is effective at preventing HIV infection because it creates a barrier against HIV before the virus has a chance to enter and infect CD4 cells.

Some common questions patients ask about Apretude:

What is Apretude?

Apretude (cabotegravir) is a new injectable PrEP medication approved by the FDA in December 2020. It is the first and only long-acting injectable PrEP option available. Apretude is given as two initiation injections one month apart, followed by every two months afterward.

Who can get Apretude?

Apretude is approved for adults and adolescents weighing at least 77 pounds (35 kilograms) at risk of HIV infection. This includes people who have sex with men, people who use injectable drugs, and people who have sex with someone who has HIV.

Who should not get Apretude?

Apretude is not suitable for everyone. You should not get Apretude if:

• You are allergic to cabotegravir

• You have HIV

• You are pregnant or breastfeeding

How does Apretude work?

Apretude is a medicine called an integrase inhibitor. It works by blocking HIV from entering and integrating into the DNA of human cells. This prevents HIV from replicating and making new copies of itself.

What do I need to do before starting Apretude?

Before starting Apretude, you must get a negative HIV test. You must also get tested for kidney function and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

How do I get Apretude?

Apretude is given by a healthcare professional as an injection into the buttocks. You will need two initiation injections, one month apart and every two months afterward.

What are the side effects of Apretude?

The most common side effects of Apretude are:

• Injection site reactions

• Headache

• Fatigue

• Muscle pain

• Diarrhea

• Nausea

These side effects are usually mild and go away on their own.

How effective is Apretude?

Apretude is very effective at preventing HIV. In clinical trials, Apretude was more effective at preventing HIV than daily oral PrEP.

What else should I know about Apretude?

Apretude is a new medication, so more research is needed to learn about its long-term safety and effectiveness. However, Apretude is a safe and effective option for people at risk of HIV infection.

Recapping all of this: PrEP is a relatively safe way to reduce the risk of getting HIV. Talk to your healthcare provider if you want to learn more about PrEP.