HIV Treatment and Prevention Injections

Overview

HIV attacks CD4 immune cells. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) can lower the virus to undetectable levels, and people who keep an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of passing HIV to a partner through sex. For some people, a long-acting injection can replace daily pills for treatment, and a separate long-acting injection is available for prevention (PrEP).

Who May Be a Candidate

• Adults and adolescents with HIV whose virus is already suppressed on a stable oral regimen, with no history of treatment failure or resistance to the medicines (Cabenuva)
• Adults and adolescents without HIV who are at risk of getting HIV through sex and want an alternative to daily PrEP pills (Apretude)
• People who can keep injection appointments on schedule

When to Contact a Provider

If you think you may have been exposed to HIV, contact a provider or emergency department right away. Post-exposure medicine (PEP) works best when started within 72 hours.

How Treatment May Help

Long-acting injections may help some people who find daily pills hard to take consistently. Cabenuva treats HIV; Apretude helps prevent it. They have different requirements and are not interchangeable.

Therapies That May Be Available at Infuse Care

• Cabenuva (cabotegravir and rilpivirine): two injections into the muscle of the buttock, every one or two months, for HIV treatment
• Apretude (cabotegravir): one injection into the muscle of the buttock, two starting doses one month apart, then every two months, for HIV prevention (PrEP)

Safety and Monitoring

The most common side effects are pain, swelling or a lump at the injection site. Fever, tiredness and headache can also occur.

A negative HIV test is required before starting Apretude and before each injection. Missing an injection visit can lead to low drug levels, which may allow HIV resistance to develop. These medicines can stay in the body for a year or longer after the last dose, so talk with your provider before stopping.

Your prescribing provider decides which treatment is right for you. Infuse Care administers prescribed therapies after a referral, a clinical review and any required insurance authorization, and we keep your provider's office updated on your care.