{
  "abstract": "BACKGROUND: Long-acting injectable antiretroviral therapy (LAI-ART) with cabotegravir and rilpivirine offers a promising alternative to daily oral ART, particularly for young people living with HIV (YLHIV). However, there are limited data on the feasibility, acceptability and efficacy of LAI-ART delivery in lower- and middle-income countries. METHODS: We conducted a 48-week, community-based study of cabotegravir and rilpivirine LAI-ART among YLHIV aged 12-24 years in Cape Town, South Africa. Participants (virally suppressed, struggling with adherence or ART naïve) were required to be virally suppressed (<50 copies/ml) on first-line ART at the end of the screening phase before switching to cabotegravir and rilpivirine LAI-ART every 8 weeks for 48 weeks. Feasibility, retention, adherence to injection schedules, viral suppression and safety were assessed. Virological failure was defined as two consecutive viral loads ≥200 copies/ml. RESULTS: Between December 2022 and December 2023, 172 participants were screened and 134 (77·9%) switched to LAI-ART. The median age was 20 years and 62·7% were assigned female at birth. Nearly one quarter (23·1%) were under 18 years of age. Overall, 47% had prior NNRTI exposure. Retention at week 48 was 98·5% with 97·5% of all injections given on schedule. Viral suppression, as indicated by VL <50 copies/ml, at week 48 was achieved by 95·5% with no confirmed virological failures. All participants who completed week 48 opted to remain on LAI-ART. INTERPRETATION: LAI-ART was safe, highly acceptable and effective among YLHIV. These findings support the feasibility of implementing LAI-ART through community-based models in sub-Saharan Africa.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "Desmond Tutu HIV Centre, Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine and the Department of Medicine, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa",
    "HIV and other Infectious Diseases Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa"
  ],
  "article_type": "research article",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 7,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Chantel Schreuder"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Nyiko Mashele"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Rufaro Mvududu"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Millicent Atujuna"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Linda-Gail Bekker"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0,
        1
      ],
      "name": "Catherine Orrell"
    },
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "Lauren Jennings"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cac2gbvh143pw.bib",
  "cited_by": 1,
  "doi": "10.1097/qai.0000000000003973",
  "fulltext_url": "https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13720839/",
  "id": "cac2gbvh143pw",
  "issns": [
    "1525-4135",
    "1944-7884"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1097/qai.0000000000003973",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "journal",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "heading",
      "Article"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2725|HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7214167429",
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": "PMC13720839",
  "pmid": "42785382",
  "published": "2026-09-24",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cac2gbvh143pw.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-03T12:21:39Z",
      "native_id": "PMC13720839",
      "source": "pmc",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1097/qai.0000000000003973"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "openalex:2725|HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions",
      "subfield": "infectious-disease"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Long-acting Injectable Antiretroviral Therapy in South African Adolescents and Young Adults – Week 48 results from the AFINAty Study",
  "title_text": "Long-acting Injectable Antiretroviral Therapy in South African Adolescents and Young Adults – Week 48 results from the AFINAty Study",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-03T12:21:39Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/cac2gbvh143pw",
  "venue": "Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999)",
  "versions": []
}