Cabotegravir and rilpivirine for the treatment of HIV

Abstract

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Antiretroviral treatment (ART) has led to improved control of HIV infection, giving the opportunity of exploring therapeutic alternatives as new long-acting (LA) regimens, that might improve the quality of life of people living with HIV (PLWH).Areas covered: This article overviews the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of LA cabotegravir and rilpivirine (CR), two nanoformulated drugs of intramuscular administration and focuses on assessing its role on the treatment of HIV infection.Expert opinion: In addition to the advantage of treatment simplification, which could be especially beneficial for population subgroups with significant HIV-related stigma, it also reduces the number of drugs, and probably, the risk of treatment-related toxicity. The similar efficacy when compared to oral triple therapies in clinical trials and the high satisfaction rates among both professionals and patients make LA CR a suitable alternative for the control of HIV infection in the modern era.