NIH

CROI 2024: Dapivirine ring and oral PrEP safe for preventing HIV in pregnant women

March 18, 2024

The monthly dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) and daily pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with oral tenofovir disoproxil fumurate and emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) were each found to be safe for HIV prevention among women who started using one of them in their second trimester of pregnancy. These findings, which are part of a large clinical study conducted by the Microbicide Trials network, were presented at the 2024 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI).

• The large clinical study was conducted in South Africa, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, and results from the third cohort were announced at the 2024 CROI conference.
• Participants were healthy, HIV-uninfected pregnant women aged 18 to 40 who were randomized to receive the ring or oral PrEP until delivery or 41 weeks and six days, whichever came first.
• Of 248 pregnancies, 1% experienced stillbirth or miscarriage, 95% of deliveries were at term, and 4% were preterm.
• Four percent of live births had congenital anomalies, none of which were related to study products.
• Adverse pregnancy outcomes related to DVR and TDF/FTC use were uncommon in the second trimester of pregnancy, with rates similar to the communities where the study was conducted.

Sources:

(2024, March 5). National Institute of Health. Vaginal ring and oral pre-exposure prophylaxis found safe for HIV prevention throughout pregnancy. [News release]. https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/vaginal-ring-oral-pre-exposure-prophylaxis-found-safe-hiv-prevention-throughout-pregnancy

Mhlanga, F, et al. Safety of Dapivirine Vaginal Ring and Oral PrEP for HIV Prevention in the Second Trimester. Abstract 168. Presented at: Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections Meeting, March 3-6, 2024; Denver, CO. https://www.croiconference.org/abstract/safety-of-dapivirine-vaginal-ring-and-oral-prep-for-hiv-prevention-in-the-second-trimester/