Monthly Oral Pill Shows Promise as Long-Acting HIV Prevention Drug Candidate

Recent research highlights the potential of a novel monthly oral medication for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Conducted by scientists including Izzat Raheem and Tracy Diamond from Merck & Co., Inc., the study, published in PLOS Biology, explores a new class of antiviral agents known as nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitors (NRTTIs). These drugs work by blocking viral replication through multiple mechanisms, including hindering the movement of reverse transcriptase enzyme during viral DNA synthesis.

Building on the structure of islatravir, a known NRTTI, researchers employed medicinal chemistry techniques to optimize a new compound called MK-8527. Laboratory tests demonstrated that MK-8527 exhibits strong antiviral activity, and animal studies indicated favorable pharmacokinetics, suggesting it could be effective as a long-acting oral PrEP medication.

The importance of such a medication lies in its potential to improve adherence, offer greater privacy, and reduce stigma associated with injectable PrEP options. Currently, long-acting PrEP therapies are mainly injectable and require clinical visits, which can be challenging for many individuals. An oral monthly pill could make HIV prevention more accessible and consistent, helping to reduce the approximately 1.3 million new HIV infections globally each year.

Human clinical trials are ongoing to assess the safety, tolerability, and efficacy of MK-8527 when taken once a month, especially among individuals with a low risk of HIV exposure. Preliminary results from at least one completed trial have shown promising outcomes.

In summary, this research underscores a significant step toward developing effective, long-acting oral PrEP options that could enhance HIV prevention efforts worldwide.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-08-monthly-pill-potential-pre-exposure.html