Preference of HIV Prevention Products

Recent study findings may help in formulation development and messaging when it comes to HIV prevention products.

Gordon Mansergh, Ph.D., and colleagues found most men who have sex with men were interested in using various potential future HIV prevention products, especially long-acting injectables (LAIs). The team believed understanding preferences for potential products by men who have sex with men could help direct further development of prevention messaging.

Mansergh and the investigators presented baseline data from HIV-negative participants enrolled in the U.S. Mobile Messaging for Men Study. Participants completed a computer-based, self-report baseline survey.

The colleagues analyzed the 782 self-reported HIV-negative participants for likelihood of using, and rank order preference for potential future HIV prevention products of LAI (every one to three months), a sexual event-driven pill (two pills within 24 hours before sex and two pills over two days after sex), a gel applied to the penis before insertive anal sex, a gel inserted into the rectum with an applicator before receptive anal sex, and a suppository inserted into the rectum 30 minutes before receptive anal sex. Ranking also included currently available products, condoms, and a daily PrEP pill. The investigators compared likelihood of use of future products by race/ethnicity, age group, education level, and city.

Most participants reported a likelihood of using LAI (74%), sexual event-based pills (67%), and penile gel (64%). Among those who reported recent unprotected anal sex, most preferred a penile gel formulation (74%), followed by LAI and event-based pills (73% each). Compared to non-users, current PrEP users had a greater chance of reporting likelihood to use LAI (AOR, 3.29; 95% CI, 2.12-5.11). Men who reported recent unprotected anal sex had a greater likelihood of using a penile gel (AOR, 3.29; 95% CI, 1.27-2.52) and an anal suppository (AOR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.08-2.02).

Compared with White men who have sex with men, Hispanic/Latino (AOR, 2.29; 95% CI, 1.4-3.73) and marginally, Black men who have sex with men (AOR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1-2.38) had greater odds of reporting likelihood to use penile gel. The investigators noted similar patterns for rank ordering preference of products, including condoms.

The study findings were announced just days before the FDA approved Cabenuva, the first injectable regimen for HIV-infected adults to be administered once monthly. With the approval, men who have sex with men will have a preferential LAI agent.

The study, “Preference for using a variety of future HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis products among men who have sex with men in three US cities,” was published in the Journal of the International AIDS Society.