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HIV kept at bay with single injection every 8 weeks


August 17, 2017


Over the last two decades, HIV has been transformed from a death sentence into a chronic, treatable disease, requiring just a single pill a day to keep the virus at bay for most people. A study co-authored by Dr. Jonathan Angel has now paved the way for another treatment option: a single injection every eight weeks. Published in The Lancet, the study showed that injection of long-lasting forms of cabotegravir and rilpivirine every four or eight weeks could suppress viral replication just as well as a daily pill. The trial involved nearly 300 patients across 50 sites in five countries. Many patients at The Ottawa Hospital contributed to and benefited from this research, and many more could benefit if the drug is approved.

Authors: Margolis DA, Gonzalez-Garcia J, Stellbrink HJ, Eron JJ, Yazdanpanah Y, Podzamczer D, Lutz T, Angel JB, Richmond GJ, Clotet B, Gutierrez F, Sloan L, Clair MS, Murray M, Ford SL, Mrus J, Patel P, Crauwels H, Griffith SK, Sutton KC, Dorey D, Smith KY, Williams PE, Spreen WR.

Funding: This study was funded by ViiV Healthcare and Janssen R&D. Community support for The Ottawa Hospital is also crucial for all our research studies. Support our research into HIV and gay men’s health

The Ottawa Hospital: Inspired by research. Driven by compassion


The Ottawa Hospital is one of Canada’s largest learning and research hospitals with over 1,100 beds, approximately 12,000 staff and an annual budget of over $1.2 billion. Our focus on research and learning helps us develop new and innovative ways to treat patients and improve care. As a multi-campus hospital, affiliated with the University of Ottawa, we deliver specialized care to the Eastern Ontario region, but our techniques and research discoveries are adopted around the world. We engage the community at all levels to support our vision for better patient care. See www.ohri.ca for more information about research at The Ottawa Hospital.

University of Ottawa: —A crossroads of cultures and ideas


The University of Ottawa is home to over 50,000 students, faculty and staff, who live, work and study in both French and English. Our campus is a crossroads of cultures and ideas, where bold minds come together to inspire game-changing ideas. We are one of Canada’s top 10 research universities—our professors and researchers explore new approaches to today’s challenges. One of a handful of Canadian universities ranked among the top 200 in the world, we attract exceptional thinkers and welcome diverse perspectives from across the globe. www.uottawa.ca

Media Contact


Jennifer Ganton
Director, Communications and Public Relations
Ottawa Hospital Research Institute
Office: 613-798-5555 x 73325
Cell: 613-614-5253
jganton@ohri.ca