At a Glance
- ViiV Healthcare presented 12-month interim data at CROI 2026
- Lotivibart (N6LS) administered every four months plus monthly CAB LA maintained viral suppression
- Phase IIb EMBRACE and ERASE studies showed sustained HIV suppression
- Combination pairs a broadly neutralising antibody with a long-acting integrase inhibitor
Written By: Sana Khan, BPharm
Reviewed By: Pharmacally Editorial Team
ViiV Healthcare presented new interim data at the 33rd Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) for its investigational long-acting HIV treatment combination of lotivibart (N6LS) and long-acting cabotegravir (CAB LA). The update focused on extended dosing strategies designed to maintain virologic suppression.
The regimen builds on ViiV’s experience with long-acting injectable therapy, including the approved combination of cabotegravir plus rilpivirine, which established the clinical use of injectable HIV treatment.
What the EMBRACE and ERASE Studies Shows
At CROI 2026, ViiV Healthcare reported 12-month interim results from the Phase IIb EMBRACE study, evaluating lotivibart administered every four months in combination with monthly CAB LA. Participants maintained virologic suppression throughout the observation period. The combination demonstrated a tolerability profile consistent with the known characteristics of the individual agents.
ViiV Healthcare also presented interim findings from the Phase IIb ERASE study, which evaluates the same antibody-based treatment strategy. The data showed sustained HIV suppression across evaluated participants.
Lotivibart (N6LS) is an investigational broadly neutralising antibody (bNAb) designed to target conserved regions of HIV. CAB LA is an integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) formulated for long-acting injectable use. The combination reflects ViiV Healthcare’s strategy of pairing long-acting agents with complementary mechanisms.
Other Pipeline and Portfolio Highlights at CROI 2026
At CROI 2026, ViiV Healthcare also highlighted additional pipeline and portfolio updates. This included VH184, the first third-generation integrase strand transfer inhibitor with first-in-human long-acting data, and early findings on VH499, an injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor.
The company presented data on cabotegravir ultra long-acting (ULA) dose selection from the Phase I CAB ULA 012 study designed to support four-month prevention dosing. ViiV Healthcare also shared results for established therapies, including Cabenuva (cabotegravir + rilpivirine LA) from the Phase IIIb VOLITION study and real-world OPERA analyses, Apretude (cabotegravir LA) for PrEP, and Dovato (dolutegravir/lamivudine) across multiple patient populations.
Reference
ViiV healthcare showcases long-acting HIV innovation and potential of ultra long-acting pipeline, including new data for first third-generation integrase inhibitor at CROI 2026, 17 February 2026, ViiV Healthcare showcases long-acting HIV innovation and potential of ultra long-acting pipeline, including new data for first third-generation integrase inhibitor at CROI 2026