New JIAS supplement: Advancing use of long-acting and extended delivery HIV prevention and treatment regimens

The Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS) announced the publication of a new supplement titled “Advancing use of long-acting and extended delivery (LAED) HIV prevention and treatment regimens”. The supplement was guest edited by Sinéad Delany-Moretlwe (University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa), Charles Flexner (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA) and José A Bauermeister (University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, USA). It was funded by the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH) through the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Therapeutics Research Program and the National Institute of Mental Health, Division of AIDS Research.

Long-acting and extended delivery (LAED) products have the potential to reshape the HIV prevention and treatment landscape through dosing schedules that are measured in months rather than days. However, they could face various implementation challenges similar to those encountered by oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), including issues related to delivery, uptake and persistent use, particularly in resource-constrained settings and among key populations. Although long-acting regimens could overcome many of these challenges, uncertainties persist regarding optimal methods for offering HIV prevention and treatment options, managing product switching, and determining the best service delivery methods when using long-acting products.

The selection of original research, reviews, viewpoints and commentaries included in this supplement cover three overarching themes:

1. Understanding end-user needs, desires, contexts and preferences
2. Multilevel initiatives for equitable access to LAED and for successful implementation across key populations
3. Future recommendations on research priorities

While more data are needed, the articles in this supplement touch upon a myriad of opportunities and challenges that must be considered to advance the field as LAED regimens are developed and implemented. They highlight how structural, policy, community and healthcare contexts might facilitate or hinder the delivery of LAED regimens.

As noted by the Guest Editors of the supplement, “Like other prevention and care efforts, the success of LAED regimens will require countries to allocate the appropriate resources required for a tailored strategy that maximizes LAED access and persistent use among its constituents.”

Access the supplement

The Journal of the International AIDS Society is an open-access, peer-reviewed journal, which publishes HIV-related research from various disciplines and particularly encourages submissions in implementation sciences.