Dapivirine Vaginal Ring (dapivirine) / International Partnership for Microbicides, J&J - LARVOL DELTA

Changes in sexual behavior among women in studies evaluating the dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV prevention. (PubMed, Sex Health) - "More women reported sex with nonprimary partners in HOPE, with little change in condom use over time between the two studies. Understanding behavior changes during PrEP use allows for tailored, holistic reproductive health programming."

Clinical • Journal • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

SAT50 From evidence to access: Implementation science to inform Lenacapavir scale-up (AIDS 2026) - "Substantial investments have been made with HIV prevention implementation studies of oral PrEP, dapivirine vaginal ring, cabotegravir, and lenacapavir. Describe promising differentiated service delivery models for integrating injectable lenacapavir alongside other PrEP options. ? Identify remaining evidence gaps and priority implementation research questions related to PrEP choice and lenacapavir rollout, and offer evidence-informed insights"

Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

From tokenism to transformation: feminist movement-building lessons for inclusive coalitions of women living with HIV in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania (AIDS 2026) - "BACKGROUND: Women living with HIV (WLHIV) in Eastern Africa continue to face evolving harms, including forced disclosure through Assisted Partner Notification (APN), coerced sterilisation, ARV denial linked to cervical screening, and restricted access to the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring (DVR)... Inclusive feminist coalitions require more than symbolic representation. Coalition structures must be redesigned around the realities and safety needs of WLHIV through layered leadership, intersectional governance, and sustained funding for WLHIV-led monitoring and advocacy."

Clinical • Late-breaking abstract • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Strengthening healthcare provider capacity to support HIV prevention choice: experiences from dapivirine ring transition‑to‑scale project in Rwanda and Botswana (AIDS 2026) - "Capacitating HCPs is essential for effective introduction and scale-up of the DVR and other HIV prevention technologies. Findings highlight the value of high-quality provider tools, the need for country-specific guidance, ongoing training, and strengthened community awareness and delivery systems. Investing in provider readiness and client-centered counselling is critical for transforming new HIV prevention technologies into accessible realities for women."

Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Building resilient PrEP systems amid funding disruptions: lessons from multi-country adaptation and lenacapavir readiness in Nigeria, Mozambique, Uganda and Zambia (AIDS 2026) - "Nigeria successfully transitioned PrEP delivery operations to 433 government-owned facilities, issued rapid policy guidance to expedite service scale-up, and reactivated cabotegravir (CAB-LA) pilot programs under direct government oversight and coordination...Mozambique sustained delivery of the dapivirine vaginal ring and CAB-LA through government facilities and decentralized models, while finalizing evaluation protocols to generate operational evidence and prevent commodity wastage... CIFF and GF’s catalytic support through the PrEP Matching Fund strengthened national HIV prevention systems to mitigate program disruptions while preparing for LEN introduction. Despite country adaptations, PrEP programs remain severely underfunded. Weakened PrEP infrastructure threatens to delay rollout of innovative products like LEN."

Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Integrating the dapivirine ring into the HIV prevention toolkit: reaffirming its place amid emerging options (AIDS 2026) - "By providing an alternative, female-controlled HIV prevention option, DPV-VR may be a strategic prevention tool to integrate into the existing HIV prevention landscape. Scale-up strategies should focus on incorporating DPV-VR into SRH services and emphasize community-led demand creation."

Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

PrEP method switching within multi-method PrEP services in primary care settings in South Africa (AIDS 2026) - "We describe switching dynamics among participants offered a choice of oral PrEP, the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR), and long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) in real-world settings, and identified reasons for first switch... Although most participants remained on their initial PrEP method, when switching occurred it was primarily toward CAB-LA, underscoring a preference for long-acting, injectable PrEP. These findings support the need for access to long-acting, injectable PrEP and flexible, multi-product PrEP delivery models as new products are introduced."

Clinical • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

PrEP use within multi-method PrEP services in primary care settings in South Africa (AIDS 2026) - "We assessed time to first PrEP interruption among individuals offered a choice of daily oral PrEP, dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) or long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) within a large implementation cohort. CAB-LA users demonstrated substantially greater PrEP persistence over 12months compared with oral PrEP users, with significantly lower risk of interruption and higher retention across all follow-up points. These findings highlight the potential of long-acting injectable PrEP to improve sustained HIV prevention coverage in routine programme settings. Scaling access to long-acting PrEP, alongside differentiated support strategies for oral PrEP users, may strengthen HIV prevention outcomes."

Clinical • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

User experiences with long-acting injectable CAB-LA PrEP in South Africa: aualitative insights into acceptability, motivations for use, and challenges (AIDS 2026) - "BACKGROUND: Long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) provides an important alternative to daily oral PrEP and an opportunity to enhance effective PrEP use among individuals who experience challenges with daily pill-taking... Between June and July 2025, we conducted 70 in-depth interviews with CAB-LA users aged 16–56 years (47 females, 23 males) from a parent cohort offering PrEP choice (oral PrEP, dapivirine ring, or CAB-LA) at six fixed and three mobile clinics in South Africa... CAB-LA was highly acceptable and preferred for its convenience, effectiveness, and reduced adherence demands. Social support and personal motivation support sustained use, while injection-related challenges were generally manageable. These findings highlight CAB-LA’s potential to improve PrEP adherence and strengthen HIV prevention outcomes in diverse real-world settings, providing implementation-relevant evidence to guide broader national rollout of injectable PrEP."

Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Empowering choice in HIV prevention: early engagement lessons from the PrEP ring in Botswana (AIDS 2026) - "The one-month user-controlled dapivirine vaginal ring for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP Ring) presents a prevention option that could expand choice and agency... The findings stressed the importance of health literacy and communication messages tailored to clients and providers, proactive myth-mitigation, and client-centered service delivery models to support successful scaling up innovation. The governments and implementing partners should consider these insights to optimize the introduction of HIV prevention technologies and strengthen prevention choices for young women."

Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease • Infertility • Sexual Disorders

Who switches and who stays when injectable PrEP becomes available? Results from CATALYST- an implementation study among women in sub-Sahara Africa (AIDS 2026) - " The analysis included women who enrolled when oral PrEP and the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) were available at one of 21 participating public health facilities and were using one of these methods at the time of CAB-LA introduction. Approximately half of women using oral PrEP or DVR switched to injectable PrEP after it became available. The remainder chose to continue using their current method. Characteristics of women who switched to CAB-LA varied and included those who had been consistent oral PrEP or DVR users."

Clinical • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

PrEP choice in South Africa: determinants of CAB-LA uptake in a multi-product PrEP programme (AIDS 2026) - "We investigate product uptake and associated factors of injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) uptake when offered three PrEP products (oral PrEP, dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) and CAB-LA) in South African public health facilities... The results demonstrate high uptake of CAB-LA with older populations and those with prior experience of PrEP or other injectables more likely to choose CAB-LA. There were some dedicated oral PrEP and DVR users highlighting the importance of PrEP choice. The data can inform planning for PrEP implementation; however, follow-up is necessary to assess continuation."

Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease • Long-acting Reversible Contraceptives

Tracking the impact of PEPFAR stop work orders on PrEP (AIDS 2026) - "Research studies were suspended, including projects studying CAB and the dapivirine vaginal ring serving over 11,000 participants. Despite country mitigation strategies, PEPFAR SWOs had a significant impact on PrEP delivery worldwide, particularly the introduction of CAB. In an environment of prolonged reductions in funding for prevention, countries will need to continue looking to innovative financing and delivery models both to preserve existing PrEP programmes and prepare for the introduction of new products such as injectable lenacapavir."

Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

LAPIS: Long-Acting HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Integrated With Sexual and Reproductive Health - cRCT (clinicaltrials.gov) - P3 | N=2052 | Recruiting | Sponsor: Africa Health Research Institute | Trial completion date: Mar 2026 ➔ Oct 2026 | Trial primary completion date: Jul 2025 ➔ Apr 2026

Trial completion date • Trial primary completion date • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Vaginal Microbiota and Cytokines Among Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women in Clinical Trials of the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring and Oral Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Emtricitabine. (PubMed, Open Forum Infect Dis) - P3, P3b | "Vaginal infections, microbiota or cytokines/chemokines changes were similar in women using DVR or TDF/FTC. These data augment the robust safety profile for DVR to support its use during pregnancy and breastfeeding."

Clinical • Journal • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease • Vaginitis

Incremental value of non-pharmacokinetic adherence measures for dapivirine vaginal ring use in resource limited setting. (PubMed, Trials) - P=N/A | "Combining non-PK measures to measure dapivirine residual level adherence in women aged ≥ 25 years could be useful in DVR use, in the context of resource-scarce settings. However, this is of limited value in young women aged < 25 years."

Journal • PK/PD data • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

High Interest in the PrEP (Dapivirine) Ring Among U.S. Low-Income Latina Women: Results From a Community Clinic. (PubMed, AIDS Educ Prev) - "In multivariable modeling, ring interest was associated with SLS and low perceived partner condom resistance. Interest in the PrEP ring was high, supporting additional choice in PrEP options."

Journal • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Estimated adherence to the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring and its associated factors among African women: A systematic review and meta-analysis. (PubMed, PLOS Glob Public Health) - "The evidence suggests generally good adherence to the DVR, which may enhance its effectiveness in reducing HIV infections in real-world settings; however, the certainty of this evidence is low. We encourage further implementation research, particularly individual patient data meta-analyses, to assess adherence more accurately."

Journal • Retrospective data • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

PK, Safety Study of 90-Day Use of Vaginal Rings Containing Dapivirine and Levonorgestrel (clinicaltrials.gov) - P1 | N=40 | Completed | Sponsor: International Partnership for Microbicides, Inc. | Phase classification: P1/2 ➔ P1

Phase classification • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

PrEP and choice counselling - Insights into implementation. (PubMed, J Public Health Afr) - "In 2023, the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR) was introduced in select implementation research sites in South Africa, introducing a new dimension into HIV prevention service delivery - people were now able to choose their PrEP method and switch between methods...All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically. Findings include the importance of healthcare providers communicating in a balanced manner and not letting personal bias interfere, and that one-off trainings and job aids for choice counselling are not enough and need to be supplemented by active engagement with healthcare providers on the ground to identify gaps and inform ongoing in-service training and mentoring."

Journal • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Values and preferences of female sex workers in Zimbabwe for long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis and the dapivirine vaginal ring: results of a mixed-methods research study. (PubMed, BMJ Glob Health) - "FSW had a strong preference for LAI PrEP, but ensuring product choice and user privacy was key. FSW in Eastern and Southern Africa should therefore be prioritised for PrEP choices, with ongoing monitoring and evaluation of services to make sure they are acceptable, effective and evolve as products and delivery options become available."

Journal • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Response to "Comment on Higher Acceptability of the Monthly Dapivirine Ring Versus Daily Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Sub-Saharan Africa in the REACH Trial". (PubMed, J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr) - No abstract available

Journal

Comment on "Higher Acceptability of the Monthly Dapivirine Ring Versus Daily Oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Sub-Saharan Africa in the REACH Trial". (PubMed, J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr) - No abstract available

Journal • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Safety, acceptability, and adherence to dapivirine vaginal ring and oral pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention in the second trimester of pregnancy: a multicountry, open-label, phase 3b randomised trial. (PubMed, Lancet HIV) - P3 | "Adverse pregnancy outcomes related to DVR and oral PrEP use were uncommon among women starting PrEP in the second trimester. These findings support the use of these preventive approaches during pregnancy."

Journal • P3 data • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease

Comparative Effectiveness of Daily Oral and Long-acting Injectable Prep: A Critical Review of Clinical Evidence and Public Health Implications. (PubMed, Curr HIV Res) - "The aim of this study was to compare the use of PrEP with TDF+FTC and the long-acting injectable cabotegravir, as well as to examine the mechanisms of action of the drugs involved in PrEP...Emerging strategies under development include annual LEN formulations, the use of broadly Neutralizing Antibodies (bNAbs), and the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring (DPV), which has demon-strated greater convenience and improved adherence among pregnant women compared to oral PrEP. Additionally, digital monitoring tools are being explored, although their effectiveness relies on the implementation of equitable health policies. Thus, integrated prevention models that com-bine biomedical innovations with community-based interventions emerge as essential to expand-ing the reach and impact of PrEP."

HEOR • Journal • Human Immunodeficiency Virus • Infectious Disease