Long-acting therapies set to reshape HIV treatment market
pharmafile | August 21, 2026 | News story | | 26th International AIDS Conference, HIV, long-acting therapies
The HIV treatment market is increasingly being shaped by therapies designed to reduce medication burden and improve convenience, with long-acting injectable and less frequently dosed oral treatments expected to play a growing role, according to GlobalData.
The market across the US, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the UK and Japan is forecast to grow from $26.4bn in 2023 to $30.6bn by 2033, with increased uptake of long-acting therapies among the factors driving growth.
Recent data presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference included results for ViiV Healthcare’s long-acting injectable Cabenuva, a combination of cabotegravir and rilpivirine, in adolescents living with HIV. GlobalData said the findings supported the potential of extended-interval treatments to address adherence challenges associated with lifelong daily medication.
Phase 3 data has been presented for an investigational once-weekly oral combination of islatravir and lenacapavir, being developed by Gilead and MSD. The treatment demonstrated non-inferiority in maintaining virologic suppression compared with daily oral regimens in people switching from standard treatment.
Abigail Harris, Infectious Disease Analyst at GlobalData, said: “Long-acting HIV therapies are becoming an increasingly competitive treatment category. While efficacy remains essential, differentiation is now shifting towards factors such as dosing convenience, adherence benefits and the ability to improve the overall treatment experience for patients.”
Daily oral antiretroviral therapies remain an effective standard of care for many people living with HIV, but reducing dosing frequency could help address issues including pill burden and the visibility of treatment.
GlobalData noted, however, that affordability, reimbursement and healthcare infrastructure could affect wider adoption, particularly for injectable therapies that require additional storage and administration.
Harris added: “The future competitive landscape will be shaped by products that can combine strong clinical performance with improved convenience, and equitable access.”
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