Long-Acting HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Integrated With Sexual and Reproductive Health - cRCT

Summary

The goal of this hybrid (1a) Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial phase 3B trial is to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of offering a choice of HIV Pre-Exposure Products (PrEP) through community-based sexual and reproductive health services, on PrEP uptake and retention, and population prevalence of sexually transmissible HIV amongst adolescents and young adults living in rural South Africa. Researchers will compare adding the choice of long-acting PrEP, i.e. two monthly injectable cabotegravir (CAB LA) or dapiravine vaginal ring and HIV post exposure prophylaxis packs to daily oral PrEP integrated with community-based SRH in the 20 intervention clusters with standard of care (SoC), daily oral PrEP integrated with community-based SRH in the 20 control clusters, on uptake and retention on PrEP. We hypothesise that offering a choice of long-acting or oral PrEP and PEP within the community-based delivery of SRH services will overcome the challenges and barriers to effective use of oral daily PrEP and lead to a population-level effect on uptake and retention on PrEP and thus the prevalence of sexually transmissible HIV amongst 15-30 year olds living in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Timeline

Start

2024-02-27

Primary completion

2026-04-30

Completion

2026-10

Publications

• Busang J, Zuma T, Chimbindi N, Ngoma N, Herbst C, Okesola N, Dreyer J, Smit T, Bird K, Mtolo L, Behuhuma N, Lebina L, Hendrickson C, Miot J, Hanekom W, Herbst K, Seeley J, Copas A, Baisley K, Shahmanesh M; LAPIS Study Team. Long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis integrated with community-based sexual and reproductive health services in South Africa (LAPIS): study protocol for a hybrid (1a) cluster randomised controlled phase 3B trial of effectiveness and implementation. BMC Public Health. 2026 Jan 20;26(1):610. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-24889-1.

Drugs

Indications