Ingestible sensor-enabled Truvada®, taken as pre-exposure prophylaxis against HIV infection, identifies patterns of medication taking that may lead to risk of prophylactic failure in near real-time.

Friday,  May 20, 2022 (San Diego, U.S.)—Research from the University of California released in Clinical Infectious Diseases demonstrates that ingestible sensor-enabled Truvada®, taken as pre-exposure prophylaxis to prevent HIV infection (PrEP), can reveal patterns of medication taking behavior that may put persons at risk of prophylactic failure. The FDA-approved system, consisting of an ingestible sensor combined with Truvada®, a wearable patch, and paired mobile device, was highly accurate and captured individual adherence behavior patterns in real-time. It distinguished persons with a strong daily habit of medication taking and high oral PrEP adherence from those with adherence patterns that may put them at risk of PrEP failure.  According to the Authors this individualized information may empower patients towards deeper self-insight and allow healthy, compassionate discussions with their physicians around events in their lives associated with periods of missed doses or high adherence.  The Authors propose this information may be useful to help patient navigate PrEP choices, creating opportunities that support the therapeutic relationship and allow physicians to be ‘servants of their Art’ guiding patients through successful PrEP prophylaxis over time.  

Researchers and authors of the article in Clinical Infectious Disease include Sara H. Browne, Florin Vaida, Anya Umlauf, Amanda J. Tucker, Terrence F. Blaschke and Constance A. Benson.

Specialists in Global Health (SiGH) provided support for this research.