25 July 25
Ending HIV
Research update: Long-acting injectable PrEP
Long-acting injectable PrEP has seen some remarkable results in recent clinical trials, with Lenacapavir presenting two sets of exciting results demonstrating its effectiveness in preventing HIV.
As recently as July 2025, the World Health Organisation endorsed Lencapavir as a key HIV prevention strategy and released a guideline for its implementation, reinforcing the effectiveness of this twice-yearly form of long-acting injectable PrEP.
Though this is still an emerging prevention option, the negotiations on the cost of this new technology will mean a wait before we can see this or other forms of long-acting injectable PrEP become available in Australia.
What is long-acting injectable PrEP?
Long-acting injectable PrEP is a long-lasting injectable form of antiretroviral medication, like what you find in existing oral pills, but formulated to stick around in the body and provide ongoing protection.
One of the key benefits of long-acting PrEP is that it can be administered discreetly in private with a doctor. So if you’re in a situation where your taking medication might lead to unwanted questions about your sex life, long-acting injectables could be a great solution.
Long-acting injectable Lencapavir shows extremely promising results
In 2024, long-acting injectable Lencapavir made the news, showing very promising results. Following the success of the PURPOSE 1 trial, a second trial, PURPOSE 2 found Lenacapavir (a twice-yearly injection) to have reduced HIV infections by 96% among its cohort of over 3,200 cis and trans men, trans women, and non-binary people who have sex with men.
Lencapavir was found to be so effective that they decided to stop the blinded testing of both the PURPOSE 1 and 2 trials and give access to all participants who were previously receiving another drug.
As of July 2025, the USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has now registered Lencapavir as an approved long-acting injectable PrEP, and the World Health Organisation has also endorsed it and released a guideline for its implementation.
What comes next and the future of PrEP in Australia
The desire for this new form of PrEP is already here, with PrEP users in Australia expressing they would prefer to take long-acting forms of PrEP over daily pills.
Unfortunately, we are still waiting on a listing for Lencapavir with our Australian equivalent authority, the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). However, the FDA listing does indicate a prohibitively high cost, and therefore, it may be some time yet before we see this Lencapavir be practically available down under.
Want to space out your dosing? Take on-demand PrEP while you wait
While we wait for further updates on this potential new form of PrEP, we’ll have to hold on to our PrEP pills for a little while longer.
However, if you want to have a taste of taking your PrEP less frequently, you could try on-demand dosing instead of daily right now!
On-demand dosing means you take it just before you’re expecting to have sex and for two days following your last risk of exposure. This can greatly reduce how often you’re taking pills, thereby making it cheaper! Be sure to follow the on-demand dosing guidelines to take it safely.
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