Gilead demonstrates non-inferiority of Descovy to Truvada for HIV PrEP

Gilead Sciences has published data from the Phase III 96-week DISCOVER trial in which Descovy (emtricitabine 200mg and tenofovir alafenamide 25mg) demonstrated non-inferiority to another Gilead drug Truvada (emtricitabine 200mg and tenofovir disoproxil fumarate 300mg) for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The DISCOVER study only evaluated men and transgender women who have sex with men and are at risk of sexually acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Descovy is currently only approved for at-risk adults and adolescents at risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 infection, except individuals at risk from vaginal sex, because the drug is yet to be evaluated for efficacy in this patient population. Gilead has committed itself to carrying out clinical trials of Descovy in cisgender women and adolescent females at risk of sexually transmitted HIV-1 infection in Africa. Results from the DISCOVER trial showed that eight of the 2,670 people in the Descovy group experienced an incident of HIV infection, compared to 15 of the 2,665 participants in the Truvada group.