Long-acting injectable HIV prevention for breastfeeding mothers
Linking HIV Prevention and post-partum care: Safety, efficacy and feasibility of cabotegravir-LA PrEP in high-risk breastfeeding population in Botswana
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 ID | NIH-11384033 on NIH RePORTER |
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.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are HIV-negative women who are postpartum and breastfeeding and considered at high risk for HIV in participating Botswana clinics.
Not a fit: 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.
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 performed: 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
Boston, United States
- 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
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 below.