ViiV Healthcare announces interim data at CROI indicating superior efficacy of long-acting injectable HIV treatment Cabenuva (cabotegravir + rilpivirine) compared to daily oral therapy in individuals living with HIV who have adherence challenges

ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority owned by GSK, with Pfizer Inc. and Shionogi Limited as shareholders, today announced data from a planned interim analysis of the LATITUDE phase III trial, indicating that their long-acting injectable antiretroviral treatment (ART) for HIV, Cabenuva (cabotegravir + rilpivirine), demonstrated superior efficacy in maintaining viral load suppression compared to daily oral therapy in individuals with a history of ART adherence challenges.

The data were presented by the Advancing Clinical Therapeutics Globally for HIV/AIDS and Other Infections (ACTG) network at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), in Denver, Colorado.

Kimberly Smith, MD, MPH, Head of Research & Development at ViiV Healthcare said, “It’s estimated that one-third of people living with HIV in the United States struggle with maintaining viral suppression. The findings of the LATITUDE study show that long-acting injectable cabotegravir + rilpivirine could be important for some people in this group, giving them another option to help keep their virus under control and improve their health. Further, since we know that individuals whose virus is undetectable don’t transmit to sexual partners, this could be an important contribution to ending the HIV epidemic.” 

LATITUDE is a phase III, randomised, open-label study. Participants received comprehensive and incentivised adherence support while taking guideline-recommended, three-drug regimen oral ART, including dolutegravir and bictegravir-based regimens, to achieve viral suppression. Those who achieved viral suppression were eligible to randomise to staying on oral standard of care (SOC) regimens or switch to long-acting injectable cabotegravir + rilpivirine (LA-ART) dosed monthly.

During the randomised phase of the study, 146 participants received monthly LA-ART and 148 continued on SOC. The primary endpoint was a comparison of regimen failure, defined as a combination of virologic failures (VF) and regimen discontinuations, between arms. 24.1% of participants on LA-ART experienced regimen failure compared to 38.5% on SOC {difference -14.4 (98.75% CI –29.8%, 0.8%)}.  

Although the primary endpoint did not meet the strict predefined stopping criterion for the interim analysis, key secondary endpoints of virologic failure (7.2% LA-ART vs. 25.4% SOC {difference -18.2% (98.75% CI-31.1%, -5.4%}) and treatment-related failure (9.6% LA-ART vs 26.2% SOC {difference -16.6% (98.75% CI -29.9%, -3.3%)} favoured the LA-ART regimen. The study’s Data Safety Monitoring Board (DSMB) considered the totality of all the study endpoints together and concluded that the evidence indicated superior efficacy of long-acting ART over daily oral standard of care. The DSMB recommended that all eligible participants should be offered long-acting injectable cabotegravir + rilpivirine.

The rate of adverse events (AEs) was similar in both arms. Three participants in the LA-ART arm had serious injection site reactions (ISR) and one participant discontinued due to an ISR. Two confirmed virologic failures in each arm had new resistance associated mutations (RAMS), including at least two new integrase inhibitor RAMs in both LA-ART  participants.

The LATITUDE (Long-Acting Therapy to Improve Treatment Success in Daily Life) study is ongoing across 31 sites in the U.S. including Puerto Rico, implemented through ACTG. The median age of study participants was 40 years old; 40 percent of participants were male, 64 percent were Black/African American, 17 percent were Hispanic, 5 percent were transgender, and 14 percent currently or previously used injection drugs. The study is sponsored and funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health, and is being conducted by ACTG, with additional support from the National Institute of Mental Health, the National Institute on Drug Abuse, ViiV Healthcare and the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson.

About Cabenuva (cabotegravir + rilpivirine)

Cabenuva is indicated as a complete regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults to replace the current antiretroviral regimen in those who are virologically suppressed (HIV-1 RNA <50 c/ml) on a stable antiretroviral regimen with no history of treatment failure and with no known or suspected resistance to either cabotegravir or rilpivirine.

The complete regimen combines the integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) cabotegravir, developed by ViiV Healthcare, with rilpivirine, a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI) developed by Janssen Sciences Ireland Unlimited Company. Rilpivirine tablets are approved in the US as a 25mg tablet taken once a day to treat HIV-1 in combination with other antiretroviral agents in antiretroviral treatment-naïve patients 12 years of age and older and weighing at least 35kg with a viral load ≤100,000 HIV RNA c/ml.

INSTIs inhibit HIV replication by preventing the viral DNA from integrating into the genetic material of human immune cells (T-cells). This step is essential in the HIV replication cycle and is also responsible for establishing chronic disease. Rilpivirine is an NNRTI that works by interfering with an enzyme called reverse transcriptase, which stops the virus from multiplying.

Trademarks are owned by or licensed to the ViiV Healthcare group of companies.

Please consult the full Prescribing Information:

CABENUVA (cabotegravir; rilpivirine) extended-release injectable suspensions

Professional Indication and Important Safety Information

INDICATION

CABENUVA is indicated as a complete regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older and weighing at least 35 kg to replace the current antiretroviral regimen in those who are virologically suppressed (HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL) on a stable antiretroviral regimen with no history of treatment failure and with no known or suspected resistance to either cabotegravir or rilpivirine.

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

 CONTRAINDICATIONS

• Do not use CABENUVA in patients with previous hypersensitivity reaction to cabotegravir or rilpivirine
• Do not use CABENUVA in patients receiving carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, rifabutin, rifampin, rifapentine, systemic dexamethasone (>1 dose), and St John’s wort

WARNINGS AND PRECAUTIONS

Hypersensitivity Reactions:

• Serious or severe hypersensitivity reactions have been reported in association with other integrase inhibitors and could occur with CABENUVA
• Hypersensitivity reactions, including cases of drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), have been reported during postmarketing experience with rilpivirine-containing regimens. While some skin reactions were accompanied by constitutional symptoms such as fever, other skin reactions were associated with organ dysfunctions, including elevations in hepatic serum biochemistries
• Discontinue CABENUVA immediately if signs or symptoms of hypersensitivity reactions develop. Clinical status, including liver transaminases, should be monitored and appropriate therapy initiated. Cabotegravir and rilpivirine oral lead-in may be used to help identify patients who may be at risk of a hypersensitivity reaction

Post-Injection Reactions:

• Serious post-injection reactions (reported in less than 1% of subjects) were reported within minutes after the injection of rilpivirine, including dyspnea, bronchospasm, agitation, abdominal cramping, rash/urticaria, dizziness, flushing, sweating, oral numbness, changes in blood pressure, and pain (e.g., back and chest). These events may have been associated with accidental intravenous administration and began to resolve within a few minutes after the injection
• Carefully follow the Instructions for Use when preparing and administering CABENUVA. The suspensions should be injected slowly via intramuscular injection and avoid accidental intravenous administration. Observe patients briefly (approximately 10 minutes) after the injection. If a post-injection reaction occurs, monitor and treat as clinically indicated

Hepatotoxicity:

• Hepatotoxicity has been reported in patients receiving cabotegravir or rilpivirine with or without known pre-existing hepatic disease or identifiable risk factors
• Patients with underlying liver disease or marked elevations in transaminases prior to treatment may be at increased risk for worsening or development of transaminase elevations
• Monitoring of liver chemistries is recommended and treatment with CABENUVA should be discontinued if hepatotoxicity is suspected

Depressive Disorders:

• Depressive disorders (including depressed mood, depression, major depression, mood altered, mood swings, dysphoria, negative thoughts, suicidal ideation, suicide attempt) have been reported with CABENUVA or the individual products
• Promptly evaluate patients with depressive symptoms

Risk of Adverse Reactions or Loss of Virologic Response Due to Drug Interactions:

• The concomitant use of CABENUVA and other drugs may result in known or potentially significant drug interactions (see Contraindications and Drug Interactions)
• Rilpivirine doses 3 and 12 times higher than the recommended oral dosage can prolong the QTc interval
• CABENUVA should be used with caution in combination with drugs with a known risk of Torsade de Pointes

Long-Acting Properties and Potential Associated Risks with CABENUVA:

• Residual concentrations of cabotegravir and rilpivirine may remain in the systemic circulation of patients for prolonged periods (up to 12 months or longer). Select appropriate patients who agree to the required monthly or every-2-month injection dosing schedule because non-adherence could lead to loss of virologic response and development of resistance
• To minimize the potential risk of developing viral resistance, it is essential to initiate an alternative, fully suppressive antiretroviral regimen no later than 1 month after the final injection doses of CABENUVA when dosed monthly and no later than 2 months after the final injections of CABENUVA when dosed every 2 months. If virologic failure is suspected, switch the patient to an alternative regimen as soon as possible

ADVERSE REACTIONS

• The most common adverse reactions in adults (incidence ≥2%, all grades) treated with CABENUVA were injection site reactions, pyrexia, fatigue, headache, musculoskeletal pain, nausea, sleep disorders, dizziness, and rash
• The safety of CABENUVA in adolescents is expected to be similar to adults

DRUG INTERACTIONS

• Refer to the applicable full Prescribing Information for important drug interactions with CABENUVA, VOCABRIA (cabotegravir), or EDURANT (rilpivirine)
• Because CABENUVA is a complete regimen, coadministration with other antiretroviral medications for the treatment of HIV-1 infection is not recommended
• Drugs that are strong inducers of UGT1A1 or UGT1A9 are expected to decrease the plasma concentrations of cabotegravir. Drugs that induce or inhibit CYP3A may affect the plasma concentrations of rilpivirine
• CABENUVA should be used with caution in combination with drugs with a known risk of Torsade de Pointes

USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS

• Pregnancy: There are insufficient human data on the use of CABENUVA during pregnancy to adequately assess a drug-associated risk for birth defects and miscarriage. Discuss the benefit-risk of using CABENUVA during pregnancy and conception and consider that cabotegravir and rilpivirine are detected in systemic circulation for up to 12 months or longer after discontinuing injections of An Antiretroviral Pregnancy Registry has been established
• Lactation: Potential risks of breastfeeding include HIV-1 transmission, developing viral resistance in HIV-positive infants, and adverse reactions in a breastfed infant

About ACTG

ACTG is the world’s largest and longest running clinical trials network focused on HIV and other infectious diseases and the people living with them. It is funded by NIAID and collaborating NIH Institutes. Founded in 1987, ACTG conducts research to improve the management of HIV and its comorbidities; develop a cure for HIV; and innovate treatments for tuberculosis, hepatitis B, and emerging infectious diseases. It comprises thousands of dedicated researchers, staff, and community members who are pursuing research into novel treatments and cures for infectious diseases at hundreds of locations across four continents, with the ultimate goal of advancing science that meaningfully impacts the lives of the people we serve.

About ViiV Healthcare

ViiV Healthcare is a global specialist HIV company established in November 2009 by GSK (LSE: GSK) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE) dedicated to delivering advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV and for people who are at risk of acquiring HIV. Shionogi became a ViiV shareholder in October 2012. The company’s aims are to take a deeper and broader interest in HIV and AIDS than any company has done before and take a new approach to deliver effective and innovative medicines for HIV treatment and prevention, as well as support communities affected by HIV.

For more information on the company, its management, portfolio, pipeline, and commitment, please visit viivhealthcare.com. 

About GSK   

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com.

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described under Item 3.D “Risk factors” in the company's Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2023.