Long-acting injectable treatments administered every eight weeks prove significantly more effective at suppressing HIV than standard daily oral tablets among young people, according to results from the LATA trial presented at the World AIDS Conference.
LATA Trial Results and Efficacy Rates
According to findings presented from the LATA trial, only two participants, representing one percent of the long-acting injectable arm, experienced viral rebound by week 96. In contrast, 15 participants, or six percent of the group taking daily TLD tablets containing tenofovir disoproxil, lamivudine, and dolutegravir, experienced viral rebound over the same monitoring period. Researchers note that both treatment groups experienced a similar volume of serious side effects. Most participants receiving the injections reported minor injection site pain that resolved naturally within a few days.
Addressing Adolescent Treatment Challenges
Globally, approximately 1.5 million individuals aged 10 to 19 live with HIV, with roughly 90 percent residing in sub-Saharan Africa. Young populations frequently experience poorer treatment outcomes compared to adults, including elevated mortality rates, higher loss to follow-up, and persistent difficulties adhering to daily oral regimens. The LATA trial addresses these specific obstacles by substituting daily pills with two injections administered into the upper part of the buttocks every eight weeks. Social science sub-study data reveals that 94 percent of participants in the injectable group found the eight-weekly schedule much easier to manage than daily medication.
Trial Design and International Collaboration
The LATA trial enrolled 476 participants with an average age of 16.5 years across five clinical sites in Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. To qualify, participants had to maintain a suppressed, undetectable viral load for over a year without prior treatment failure. The trial was coordinated by the MRC Clinical Trials Unit at UCL, operating as the Innovative Clinical Trials Unit, with University College London acting as the sponsor. Funding and drug supplies were supported by the EDCTP2 Programme, Janssen-Cilag Ltd., and ViiV Healthcare, alongside specialized contributions from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Radboud UMC, Penta, and the University of York.
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