Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
The goal of this hybrid (1a) Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial phase 3B trial is to evaluate the effectiveness and implementation of offering a choice of HIV Pre-Exposure Products (PrEP) through community-based sexual and reproductive health services, on PrEP uptake and retention, and population prevalence of sexually transmissible HIV amongst adolescents and young adults living in rural South Africa.
Researchers will compare adding the choice of long-acting PrEP, i.e. two monthly injectable cabotegravir (CAB LA) or dapiravine vaginal ring and HIV post exposure prophylaxis packs to daily oral PrEP integrated with community-based SRH in the 20 intervention clusters with standard of care (SoC), daily oral PrEP integrated with community-based SRH in the 20 control clusters, on uptake and retention on PrEP. We hypothesise that offering a choice of long-acting or oral PrEP and PEP within the community-based delivery of SRH services will overcome the challenges and barriers to effective use of oral daily PrEP and lead to a population-level effect on uptake and retention on PrEP and thus the prevalence of sexually transmissible HIV amongst 15-30 year olds living in rural KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
This is a pragmatic trial of adding in a choice of South African Health Products Registration Authority (SAHPRA) approved newer PrEP products - APRETUDE (cabotegravir) 600 mg\3 mL: DAPIRING (Dapivirine) 25mg Vaginal Ring:56/20.2.8/0979 (22/11/2022) - to the current national department of health approved oral daily PrEP with TVF/FTC (Tenofovir disoproxil/emtricitabine), Objective 1. To measure the effectiveness of the choice of oral and long-acting PrEP, including injectable (CAB LA) and vaginal ring (DapiRing), and post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) on increasing effective uptake (adoption), retention, and adherence of PrEP compared to oral PrEP in young people aged 15-30 in rural South Africa and to estimate the preliminary effect on transmissible HIV and HIV incidence.
Objective 2. To understand real-world implementation:
2.1 To explore the acceptability, appropriateness, preference, and reach of CABLA from the perspective of young people aged 15-30 and their communities in rural South Africa 2.2 To understand the feasibility, affordability, and scalability of delivering CABLA through community-based PrEP with SRH.
2.3 To identify implementation challenges and practical solutions for CABLA initiation, laboratory monitoring (e.g. RNA testing), and safe stopping within nurse-led and rural community-based clinical settings 2.4 To evaluate the safety and tolerability of CABLA compared to oral PrEP
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
| Label | Type | Description | Intervention Names |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intervention: Choice of long-acting PrEP and PEP added to Thetha Nami ngithethe nawe | Experimental | Tailored peer-led psychosocial support and social mobilisation into community based SRH and differentiated HIV care and prevention, including a choice of effective PrEP or PEP. At the mobile AYFS in the intervention clusters nurses will offer the choice of either daily oral tenofovir/emtricitabine or injectable long acting cabotegravir (CAB LA) to be delivered to adolescents and young adults at risk of HIV acquisition. Those who decline will have the option of three monthly dapivarine vaginal rings or Post Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) packs (tenofovir/lamuvidine/dolutegravir) to take home. Peer navigators will promote long-acting PrEP in addition to oral PrEP. As part of the peer mentorship package, the peer naviators will remind young people of their follow-up visits. |
|
| Control (Enhanced SoC): Thetha Nami ngithethe nawe | Active Comparator | Tailored peer-led psychosocial support and social mobilisation into community based SRH and differentiated HIV care and prevention, including oral tenofovir/emtricitabine PrEP. In the mobile AYFS, young people are offered self-taken vaginal swabs or urine testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs), family planning support and syndromic and aetiological management for STIs; HIV counselling and two POCT; immediate initiation of ART if living with HIV and oral tenofovir/emtricitabine PrEP if HIV test is negative and they are suitable. Peer navigators in control clusters will promote oral PrEP during their community based health promotion activities. As part of the peer mentorship package, the peer naviators will remind young people of their follow-up visits and if required accompany young people to the mobile clinics. |
|
| Name | Type | Description | Arm Group Labels | Other Names |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APRETUDE (cabotegravir) 600 mg\3 mL | Drug | choice of 2-monthly injectable long acting cabotegravir. The initial visit will be followed by planned visit for the first injection, one month visit for second injection, and then 2-monthly CAB LA injections with repeat HIV testing and pregnancy testing, and referral to peer navigators for adherence and retention support. We will conduct HIV testing, STI testing, Hep B, Hep C, and safety bloods (Full Blood Count, Creatinine, Liver Function Tests) at baseline, HIV testing two monthly, and annual safety bloods, alongside annual STI testing. |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Uptake PrEP | Defined as the proportion of all young people (aged 15-30) residing in the trial area (the 40 clusters) who have received any PrEP (oral, injectable, ring, or PEP) through study-linked clinics | Through duration of trial, and up to 20 months |
| Retention on PrEP | Defined as the proportion of participants enrolled at least 4 months before the end of the trial, attending at least one follow-up appointment after PrEP/PEP initiation. | 14 months |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| The prevalence of transmissible HIV. | We will measure this outcome as the proportion of those living with HIV and have a detectable HIV viral load, defined as having an HIV viral load of >= 400 copies per ml, during our final survey round. | 14 months |
| Uptake of risk informed HIV prevention |
| Measure | Description | Time Frame |
|---|---|---|
| Improved socioeconomic outcomes | Defined as proportion in school (aged <= 18) or unemployed (aged >18) and/or food secure (no recent experience of hunger) in each arm. | 14 months |
Inclusion Criteria:
All young men and women aged 15-30 who are residing in the 40 administrative clusters in the study district and attend any integrated SRH/HIV service
Documented HIV negative test
Suitable for PrEP and/or already on PrEP
Weight > 35 kg
Understand the required dosing schedule and HIV testing.
Aware that details can be shared with a peer navigator to support their follow-up
If pregnant or breast feeding and/or planning to become pregnant participant can be offered CAB LA, if risk of acquiring HIV out weighs unknown risk of CAB LA, but must understand that safety in pregnancy or breast feeding for CAB LA has not been established and oral daily PrEP is a safe alternative.
Exclusion Criteria:
History or presence of allergy to the study drugs or their components
Investigator assessment find them not suitable
Additional exclusion criteria for specific products:
CAB LA: Taking medication that is contraindicated (Carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, phenobarbital, phenytoin, Rifampin, rifapentine) and Severe mental health disorder, Hep B surface antigen positive, living with hepatitis C and not yet treated, or abnormal liver function tests (ALT more than two times the upper limit of normal)
DapiRing: Pregnancy.
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
| Name | Role | Phone | Extension | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryam G Shahmanesh, MBBChir PhD | Contact | +447776185572 | m.shahmanesh@ucl.ac.uk | |
| Limakatso Lebina, MBBS PhD | Contact | l.lebina@ucl.ac.uk |
Not provided
| Facility | Status | City | State | ZIP | Country | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Africa Health Research Institute | Recruiting | Somkele | KwaZulu-Natal | South Africa |
| PubMed Identifier | Type | Citation | Retractions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 41559582 | Derived | Busang J, Zuma T, Chimbindi N, Ngoma N, Herbst C, Okesola N, Dreyer J, Smit T, Bird K, Mtolo L, Behuhuma N, Lebina L, Hendrickson C, Miot J, Hanekom W, Herbst K, Seeley J, Copas A, Baisley K, Shahmanesh M; LAPIS Study Team. Long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis integrated with community-based sexual and reproductive health services in South Africa (LAPIS): study protocol for a hybrid (1a) cluster randomised controlled phase 3B trial of effectiveness and implementation. BMC Public Health. 2026 Jan 20;26(1):610. doi: 10.1186/s12889-025-24889-1. |
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
After the primary analysis has been completed and publicaly shared
Not provided
Not provided
Not provided
| Type | Includes Protocol | Includes SAP | Includes ICF | Document Label | Document Date | Document Uploaded Date | Document File Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAP | No | Yes | No | Statistical Analysis Plan | May 21, 2026 | Jul 2, 2026 |
Not provided
A hybrid phase 3B effectiveness implementation type 1a cluster randomised control trial (cRCT)
Not provided
Not provided
The statistician and clinical team will not participate in the public randomisation. The statistician will remain blinded until the analysis plan has been finalised and the database is locked. Investigators remain blinded to allocation throughout. The participants and intervention delivery teams are not blinded
|
| DAPIRING (Dapivirine) 25mg Vaginal Ring | Drug | The initial visit is followed by a 7-day phone call, 3-monthly follow-up. Each follow-up will include repeat HIV testing (POCT x2 and dry blood spots for HIV ELISA) and pregnancy testing, syndromic management of STIs, and referral to peer navigators for adherence support and PrEP/ART and if applicable contraception refills. Safely bloods (full blood count, creatinine, liver function tests) will follow national guidelines. Currently we aim to do baseline and annual safety bloods, alongside annual STI testing |
|
| tenofovir disoproxil and emtricitabine | Drug | The initial visit is followed by a 7-day phone call, 3-monthly follow-up. Each follow-up will include repeat HIV testing (POCT x2 and dry blood spots for HIV ELISA) and pregnancy testing, syndromic management of STIs, and referral to peer navigators for adherence support and PrEP/ART and if applicable contraception refills. Safely bloods (full blood count, creatinine, liver function tests) will follow national guidelines. Currently we aim to do baseline and annual safety bloods, alongside annual STI testing |
|
| Tenofovir Disoproxil, Lamuvidine and Dolutegravir | Drug | The initial visit is followed by a 7-day phone call, 3-monthly follow-up. Each follow-up will include repeat HIV testing (POCT x2 and dry blood spots for HIV ELISA) and pregnancy testing, syndromic management of STIs, and referral to peer navigators for adherence support and PrEP/ART and if applicable contraception refills. Safely bloods (full blood count, creatinine, liver function tests) will follow national guidelines. Currently we aim to do baseline and annual safety bloods, alongside annual STI testing |
|
Defined as the proportion of 15-30 year olds who are aware of their HIV status and are either on PrEP, if HIV negative, or are on antiretroviral therapy if living with HIV, during final survey round. |
| 14 months |
| Uptake of contraception | Proportion of women aged 15-30 who report currently using any contraception during final survey round | 14 months |
| Teenage Pregnancy | Proportion of adolescent girls aged 15-19 years who self-report currently being pregnant in the final survey round. | 14 months |
| Curable Sexually Transmitted Infections | Prevalence of any curable STIs is defined as the proportion of participants who test positive for at least one of the following infections: Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) or Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG), based on Cepheid GeneXpert CT/NG testing measured in the final survey round | 14 months |
| Voluntary male medical circumcision (VMMC) | Proportion of male participants who report ever having undergone circumcision in the final survey round | 14 months |
| Proportion of men and women aged 16-30 at risk of acquiring HIV or transmitting HIV | If living with HIV (a detectable viral load + condomless sex + not on ART), or, if not living with HIV (condomless sex + not on PrEP) | 14 months |
| HIV incidence | The rate of new infections in the PrEP cohort irrespective of PrEP use | 14 months |
| Recent HIV infection using recency assays | Proportion of those living with HIV in the end-line survey with a positive recency assay on DBS | 14 months |
| improved mental health | Proportion with PHQ9 score consistent with common mental disorder in each arm | 14 months |
| PrEP Reach (Adoption) | Proportion of those at greatest risk adopting (taking up) PrEP or PEP in each arm. Greatest risk is defined as an aggregate exposure disaggregated by gender that includes any of the following factors: out of school (aged <= 18) or unemployed (aged >18) and/or engaged in transactional sex or sex work and/or harmful alcohol use (AUDIT scale) and/or experience physical, sexual or emotional violence (validated tool) and/or food poverty (recent experience of hunger) | 14 months |
| Adverse events | frequency and severity of adverse events associated with CABLA compared to oral PrEP. | 14 months |
| PrEP delivery cost and cost-effectiveness | cost per effective PrEP uptake in each arm | 14 months |
| Patterns of PrEP/PEP use | Longitudinal patterns of PrEP and PEP initiation, switching and stopping within the choice arm | 14 months |
| SAP_000.pdf |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D015658 | HIV Infections |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D000086982 | Blood-Borne Infections |
| D003141 | Communicable Diseases |
| D007239 | Infections |
| D015229 | Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral |
| D012749 | Sexually Transmitted Diseases |
| D016180 | Lentivirus Infections |
| D012192 | Retroviridae Infections |
| D012327 | RNA Virus Infections |
| D014777 | Virus Diseases |
| D000091662 | Genital Diseases |
| D000091642 | Urogenital Diseases |
| D007153 | Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes |
| D007154 | Immune System Diseases |
Not provided
Not provided
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| C584914 | cabotegravir |
| C481671 | Dapivirine |
| D003274 | Contraceptive Devices, Female |
| D000069480 | Emtricitabine, Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate Drug Combination |
| D000068698 | Tenofovir |
| C562325 | dolutegravir |
| ID | Term |
|---|---|
| D003273 | Contraceptive Devices |
| D004864 | Equipment and Supplies |
| D063065 | Organophosphonates |
| D009943 | Organophosphorus Compounds |
| D009930 | Organic Chemicals |
| D000068679 | Emtricitabine |
| D003841 | Deoxycytidine |
| D003562 | Cytidine |
| D011741 | Pyrimidine Nucleosides |
| D011743 | Pyrimidines |
| D006573 | Heterocyclic Compounds, 1-Ring |
| D006571 | Heterocyclic Compounds |
| D000225 | Adenine |
| D011687 | Purines |
| D006574 | Heterocyclic Compounds, 2-Ring |
| D000072471 | Heterocyclic Compounds, Fused-Ring |
| D003853 | Deoxyribonucleosides |
| D009705 | Nucleosides |
| D009706 | Nucleic Acids, Nucleotides, and Nucleosides |
| D004338 | Drug Combinations |
| D004364 | Pharmaceutical Preparations |
Not provided
Not provided