Weekly HIV pill trial results

In late July, Gilead Sciences and Merck announced that their experimental once‑weekly HIV tablet—combining Merck’s islatravir with Gilead’s lenacapavir—produced undetectable viral loads in two late‑stage trials of adults already on daily therapy. The studies showed the weekly regimen was non‑inferior to standard daily pills, with comparable side‑effect profiles and no new safety concerns.

A week later, results from a larger international phase‑3 trial (ISLEND‑1) involving 607 adults across 12 countries were presented. The trial confirmed that the weekly tablet matched the leading daily regimen in maintaining viral suppression over 48 weeks, with more than 93 % of participants in both arms achieving undetectable virus and no virologic failures among weekly users. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine and highlighted the potential for reduced pill burden and treatment fatigue.

Together, the reports trace the progression from initial late‑stage trial data to broader validation in a multinational study, underscoring the emergence of a once‑weekly oral option for HIV treatment.