A long-acting injection that prevents HIV infection is set to be approved for use in England and Wales, offering an alternative to daily oral pills.
The treatment, called cabotegravir (CAB-LA), is a form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) administered once every two months. It is designed for HIV-negative adults and young people who are unable to take traditional oral PrEP. The injection is already available through the NHS in Scotland.
In draft guidance published on Friday, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended CAB-LA as an effective new prevention option. The rollout in England and Wales is expected to begin roughly three months after NICE issues its final approval later this year.
Health secretary Wes Streeting called the decision “gamechanging,” saying it brings England closer to its goal of ending HIV transmissions by 2030. “For vulnerable people unable to take other methods of prevention, this represents hope,” he said.
More than 111,000 people accessed PrEP through sexual health clinics in England in 2024 — a 7% increase on the previous year, according to the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA).
Helen Knight, NICE’s director of medicines evaluation, said HIV “remains a serious public health challenge, but we now have powerful tools to prevent new infections.” She added that around 1,000 people in England are unable to take daily oral PrEP, making the new injection a vital alternative.
Up to 1,000 people are expected to benefit from CAB-LA each year once it becomes available.
