Wits RHI’s Johannesburg Clinical Research Site Enrolls 212 Young Women

The Wits Reproductive Health and HIV Institute (Wits RHI) co-managed the Wits RHI Research Centre Clinical Research site in Hillbrow, Johannesburg, in South Africa, where 212 young women were enrolled.

The groundbreaking results from Gilead’s Phase 3 Purpose 1 trial indicated that the twice-yearly injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor, lenacapavir, demonstrated 100% efficacy for the investigational use of HIV prevention in cisgender women.

This marks a significant step forward in HIV prevention.

Gilead is a US-based pharmaceutical company.

Wits RHI’s Professor Thesla Palanee-Phillips, a lead researcher on the trial, says, “Our study team is both thrilled and humbled to have contributed to this Phase 3 trial that is the first HIV prevention trial ever in history to show zero HIV infections with an intervention.

This is a pivotal moment in HIV prevention and we stand proud and with gratitude alongside the women in South Africa and Uganda who contributed to this outcome.

We look forward to next steps and expanding HIV prevention choice for women in Africa and the world”.

Wits RHI’s Dr Nkosiphile Ndlovu, co-Principal Investigator and clinician on the trial, adds, “This is an exciting time to be alive. These exceptional results will help us expand HIV prevention options for African women. For once, we are in the forefront of groundbreaking research as Africans.”