On 25 September 2013, Janssen announced that it had signed a license agreement with international nonprofit health organisation PATH for early stage research to develop a long acting depot formulation of rilpivirine as a potential pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) against HIV.¹
PATH is planning to collaborate with partners including the HIV Prevention Trials Network for future research for these initial phase 2 studies, and this initiative is funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.²
Rilpivirine is an NNRTI currently licensed as an oral drug in ARV treatment-naive adults with a viral load less than or equal to 100,000 copies/mL and is coformulated with tenofovir/FTC in the fixed dose combination Eviplera (Edurant in the U.S.).
References
Jannsen press statement. Janssen R&D Ireland announces agreement with PATH for early development of rilpivirine in long-acting formulation for potential prophylactic intervention, (25 September 2013).
PATH press release. New partnership advances drug formulation that could help prevent HIV infection (25 September 2013).
Links to other websites are current at date of posting but not maintained.