16/10/2026
HIV treatment could become more convenient and discreet, as new African research shows that injections given every two months are as effective as daily pills for maintaining viral suppression.
Results from the IMPALA clinical trial, conducted across Uganda, Kenya and South Africa, found that 91% of participants receiving long-acting HIV treatment injections maintained undetectable levels of the virus after 48 weeks, compared with 89% of those continuing daily oral medication.
The study involved 540 adults living with HIV who had previously experienced difficulties taking their medication consistently or attending clinic appointments, but whose virus was suppressed at the point of randomisation.
What do these findings mean for HIV treatment and care?
For people living with HIV, the findings bring hope that more treatment choice including injectable agents will become available in the future, particularly for those who find daily medication challenging or where there is a high clinical need. Injectable treatment represents a preferred (by 94%) and more convenient alternative, although regular clinic visits and monitoring are still necessary.
For policymakers and HIV programme implementers, the findings offer important African evidence to inform future national treatment guidelines, service delivery models and decisions about introducing long-acting HIV treatment options.
Read more here: https://lnkd.in/dKJz7XhP
We thank the participants and partners who contributed to this study. The IMPALA trial was coordinated by the MRC/UVRI & LSHTM Uganda Research Unit in partnership with Infectious Diseases Institute (IDI), THE JOINT CLINICAL RESEARCH CENTRE (JCRC) OFFICIAL, University of Nairobi, Desmond Tutu Health Foundation , CAPRISA, Johnson & Johnson, ViiV Healthcare.
