Long-acting injectable HIV prevention for breastfeeding mothers
Official title: Linking HIV Prevention and post-partum care: Safety, efficacy and feasibility of cabotegravir-LA PrEP in high-risk breastfeeding population in Botswana
Funded at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center · NIH-11384033 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers long-acting injectable cabotegravir to high-risk breastfeeding women starting at delivery, with follow-up through post-partum and baby-care clinics to prevent HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 24, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $388,881 |
| NIH project number | 3R01HD108047-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11384033 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are HIV-negative women who are postpartum and breastfeeding and considered at high risk for HIV in participating Botswana clinics.
✕Less likely to help
People who are already living with HIV, not breastfeeding or not in the postpartum period, or who have medical reasons preventing cabotegravir use are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
What this research studies
If you give birth at a participating hospital in Botswana and are at higher risk for HIV, clinicians may offer an injection of long-acting cabotegravir right after delivery. Further injections and follow-up visits are scheduled alongside post-partum and pediatric care to make staying on prevention easier. The team will collect safety information about cabotegravir for breastfeeding mothers and their infants and monitor new HIV infections. Researchers will also measure how feasible and acceptable this delivery approach is in routine post-partum care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide an easier, longer-lasting HIV prevention option for postpartum breastfeeding women and lower the chance of infant HIV exposure.
How similar studies have gone: Large trials found cabotegravir injections greatly reduced HIV risk compared with daily oral PrEP in women, but breastfeeding safety data and postpartum delivery approaches remain limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Zash, Rebecca Marie — Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Zash, Rebecca Marie
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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CAB-LA PrEP for breastfeeding women after delivery in Botswana
This study tests a long-acting HIV prevention shot for new mothers who are breastfeeding in Botswana to see if it prevents HIV safely and effectively.
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CAB-LA PrEP for new mothers: safer HIV prevention for breastfeeding women in Botswana
A study tests a long-acting HIV prevention injection for breastfeeding women who are at high risk of HIV in Botswana.
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Long-acting injectable HIV prevention for breastfeeding new mothers
This project looks at whether a long-acting injectable HIV prevention shot (cabotegravir) given after childbirth can safely protect breastfeeding women at high risk of HIV.
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Exploring a new HIV prevention method for breastfeeding women in Botswana
This study is looking at a long-lasting injectable HIV prevention medication for breastfeeding women in Botswana to see if it’s safe and helps them stay protected from HIV while making it easier to get the care they need after having a baby.
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Harnessing male peer networks to boost HIV testing and PrEP use
A large clinical trial in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through male peer networks, with phone support, increases PrEP uptake among men.
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Harnessing men's peer networks to boost HIV self-testing and PrEP use
A large project in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through men’s social networks, with phone support, can lead to more men starting PrEP and using HIV testing.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.