The Food and Drug Administration has approved the first long-acting HIV medication. Cabenuva is a monthly shot that replaces daily pills to control the HIV virus from replicating, according to Associated Press.
Cabenuva is a two-drug cocktail of cabotegravir, a new drug from Viiv, and rilpivirine, sold as Edurant by Janssen. The injection medication is approved for adults who have their disease well controlled and aren’t resistant to the two drugs used.
Before switching to shots, someone with HIV would take the pill versions of the two drugs for a month. The first injection would be a higher dose than the monthly maintenance doses.