The UCLA Vine Street Clinic team is excited to be a part of on-going research testing the effectiveness of long-acting forms of HIV prevention medications. The current option, Truvada™ for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) requires that people take a pill every day, which can present barriers for many. There are two studies currently seeking to expand the options available for PrEP.
The first is the AMP Study (Antibody Mediated Prevention). This is a new approach to HIV prevention. Usually, people receive a vaccine and their bodies produce antibodies that prevent the person from becoming infected with the disease. The AMP Study’s approach is different. Research participants will be given the antibodies directly (skipping the vaccination) via an intravenous infusion. The goal of this study is to test whether this broadly-neutralizing antibody (named VRC01) can prevent HIV infections. For more information and details, check out their website: https://ampstudy.org/about
The second study is CAB LA. CAB LA, formally known as “HPTN 083: A Phase 2b/3 Double Blind Safety and Efficacy Study of Injectable Cabotegravir Compared to Daily Oral Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Emtricitabine (TDF/FTC), for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in HIV-Uninfected Cisgender Men and Transgender Women who have Sex with Men,”. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of an injectable medication – cabotegravir – as PrEP in HIV-negative cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men. Participants will receive the injections 4 weeks apart and every 8 weeks thereafter. We are one of two Los Angeles sites for this study, the other being the UCLA CARE Center. For more information about CAB LA, check out the HPTN site: https://www.hptn.org/research/studies/hptn083.
UCLA Vine Street Clinic is proud to be part of these global efforts to end the spread of HIV. If you would like to participate in one of these studies, you can contact our staff at (866) 449-UCLA.