New Drug-Capsule Technology Could Permit Weekly Dosing of HIV Meds

[Jim Allen]

Personally the Long lasting injections (or the idea of them) is not interesting for me or at least I simply don't consider it practical, however this weekly drug capsule idea sounds pretty attractive 

https://www.poz.com/article/new-drugcapsule-technology-permit-weekly-dosing-hiv-meds

Researchers have developed a drug capsule that could allow people with HIV to take just one dose of antiretrovirals (ARVs) per week.

Publishing their findings in Nature Communications, researchers built on a previous study in which they had designed a capsule that could remain in the stomach for two weeks, gradually releasing a malaria medication.

The research team’s capsule is star-shaped and has six folded “arms” covered in a smooth coating and loaded with medication. Once the capsule is swallowed, the arms unfold and gradually release the medication.

For the new version of this capsule, designed for use with ARVs, the investigators constructed the backbone of the star structure out of a strong polymer. Each of the structure’s six arms can be filled with a different drug-loaded polymer to allow for the drugs to be released at different rates. Once the drugs are released, the capsule disintegrates into smaller parts that can pass through the digestive tract.

The scientists conducted experiments with pigs and found that the capsules successfully lodged in the stomach and then released a trio of ARVs over the course of one week.

[FarmBoy]

This sounds very interesting.  It says they are looking at making it last for periods longer than a week also.  Drugs used in the capsule for the study: dolutegravir, rilpivirine, and cabotegravir

Video on youtube explaining the capsule and an article released by MIT on the study:

https://youtu.be/tiGIWyE_GcA

http://news.mit.edu/2018/new-drug-capsule-may-allow-weekly-hiv-treatment-0109

The research was also funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gates through the Global Good Fund, the National Institutes of Health, and the Division of Gastroenterology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

[CaveyUK]

My only worry with this would be if you had vomiting or diarrhoea and whether this impacts the capsule in the stomach.

Put it another way - if I were ever sick and worried that my meds may not have absorbed properly, then I will only be 1 day behind when it comes to the next dose.

With this, if I was sick on day 1 after taking it, I'd be worried about being nearly 1 week behind with the next dose.

I can see benefits for some folk however

[terrymoore]

@CaveyUK,
Would that really be something to worry about? Let`s say you DID puke it out. So? 95% adherence. 1 week out of 52 is still in the "safe zone". And, if i understand this correctly, it is more about eratic pauses in adherence that can ead to mutation and treatment failure.

[CaveyUK]

@CaveyUK,
Would that really be something to worry about? Let`s say you DID puke it out. So? 95% adherence. 1 week out of 52 is still in the "safe zone". And, if i understand this correctly, it is more about eratic pauses in adherence that can ead to mutation and treatment failure.

I'd certainly worry about it

Everything I have read talks about the odd day missed is okay, but I'd be concerned if I missed a week - even if technically it should be fine.

I'd also worry about forgetting to take it, given you would only take once a week. Every day you get into a clear routine, once a week...not so sure

[kentfrat1783]

I have no room to talk as I've only been taking Rx's since May'ish (2017), but I have a hard enough time remembering if I took my pill today let alone only taking it once a week. 

Now if the option came along where I could take a pill once a week I'm not saying that I wouldn't look into it.  Then again what I'm taking now works so why change something that isn't broke?

But I would also be worried if I got sick that week.  All of the what if's.  I'm sure those issues will be researched as well.

BTW, this post reminded me to take my new twice a day pill I need for anermia (was only once a day).  I'm having the hardest time taking the 2nd pill.  The restrictions on this pill are worse then my ARV pill.