via Somatosphere, by Marsha Rosengarten One of the more controversial interventions proposed for HIV prevention in those who test HIV antibody negative and perceived to be at risk is pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) – a daily pill comprising one or two antiretroviral drugs manufactured by Gilead Inc. Besides the mixed results from multi-site randomised controlled trials (RCTs) seeking Read More >>

via Lancet.com, by Salim S Abdool Karim  and Quarraisha Abdool Karim On May 10, 2012, a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advisory committee voted in support of the use of tenofovir-emtricitabine for HIV prevention.1 If the FDA, which is scheduled to make its decision by June 15, adopts the committee’s recommendations, tenofovir-emtricitabine will become the first Read More >>

via AidsMap.com, by Gus Cairnes Adherence makes all the difference to the efficacy of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the 19th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) heard today. Further data were presented from two trials of PrEP (giving anti-HIV drugs to HIV-negative people to prevent infection), which announced dramatically different results last year. In April 2011, the Read More >>

via MedPage Today, by Ed Susman Pre-exposure prophylaxis with antiretroviral drugs failed to prevent women in Africa from becoming infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) – apparently because more than half the women failed to take their medication. The incidence of HIV infection among previously uninfected women treated with a co-formulation of emtricitabine and tenofovir (Truvada) was Read More >>

via HIVandHepatitis.com, by Liz Highleyman The 2 drugs in the Truvada pill — tenofovir and emtricitabine — reach different concentrations in human cervical, vaginal, and rectal mucosa tissues and fluids, according to new research published in the December 7, 2011, issue of Science Translational Medicine. Lower drug levels in the female genital tract suggest that women may Read More >>

via Incidence, by Roger J. Tatoud The Microbicides Trial Network (MTN) September 28th that its VOICE (Vaginal and Oral Interventions to Control the Epidemic, MTN003) HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) prevention study will discontinue the daily oral tenofovir arm of the trial. The decision follows an interim review of the trial’s data by its Data Safety and Monitoring Board Read More >>

via the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), by Catherine Tomlinson and Nathan Geffen Exciting new evidence has demonstrated the potential of antiretroviral medicines (ARVs) to prevent HIV from being sexually transmitted. This TAC briefing explains the evidence and then discusses policy implications. Our recommendations 1.The WHO must release its guidelines on serodiscordant couples.2.People living with HIV should be Read More >>

Via iPrEX News. The iPrEx Open-Label Extension Study (iPrEx OLE), the next phase of the first human study to report efficacy results on pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection, has begun at clinical trial sites around the world. Approximately 2,000 men and transgender women who have sex with men are expected to participate in the 72-week Read More >>

[of interest: “There is research, as yet unpublished, showing that the concentration of tenofovir, when taken orally, is higher in rectal tissue than in vaginal tissue, said Timothy Mastro, an FHI vice president who spoke on behalf of the study. If so, the men might have had more of the drug than the women at the site Read More >>

via FHI website Following a scheduled interim review of the FEM-PrEP study data, the Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) advised that the FEM-PrEP study will be highly unlikely to be able to demonstrate the effectiveness of Truvada [emtricitabine (FTC) and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)] in preventing HIV infection in the study population, even if it continued to Read More >>