Dr. Charlotte-Paige Rolle, Director of Research Operations at Orlando Immunology Center, presented updated results from the EMBRACE trial at CROI 2026 (Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections) in Denver.
EMBRACE is a Phase IIb study evaluating lotivibart, a long-acting monoclonal antibody, combined with cabotegravir as a maintenance regimen for people with HIV who are already virologically suppressed on daily therapy. The trial enrolled participants across 45 sites in the US and Puerto Rico, including Orlando Immunology Center.
At one year, 94% of participants receiving lotivibart by infusion plus cabotegravir maintained an undetectable viral load, comparable to the 88% suppression rate seen with standard daily oral therapy. The infusion regimen was also notably better tolerated than the injectable form of lotivibart: only 8% of participants reported injection site reactions, compared to 51% in the group receiving lotivibart by injection, and no participants discontinued due to side effects (versus three in the injection group).
For people living with HIV who are looking for alternatives to a daily pill, these results add to a growing body of evidence that long-acting regimens can maintain viral suppression as effectively as standard therapy, with fewer of the day-to-day burdens.
Source: aidsmap, March 2026
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