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HIV treatment made easier: Single daily pill can replace complex, multi-tablet regime, says Lancet

The new combo, when licensed, will be the fourth two-drug combo in the basket, says expert

3 min readUpdated: Mar 1, 2026 08:54 PM IST

There are an estimated 26 lakh people living with HIV in India.

A single daily pill shows promise as replacement for complex, multi-tablet HIV treatment regimens according to the findings of a new phase 3 clinical trial, published in The Lancet.

The study was presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) 2026, in Denver, Colorado, USA on February 25.

This new daily oral tablet combines two current HIV treatment medications, Bictegravir and Lenacapavir (BIC/LEN). As per the study authors, they may be able to effectively replace more complicated HIV treatment regimens used by people living with HIV.

The phase 3 clinical trial (ARTISTRY-1), led by Professor Chloe Orkin of Queen Mary University of London, included more than 550 people living with HIV across 15 countries and showed that the new single-pill treatment was highly effective in maintaining HIV suppression (HIV virus levels below 50 copies/mL). “Nearly 96% of participants who switched to this simplified regimen maintained viral suppression with no new drug resistance reported. In comparison, participants who continued their existing complex, multi-pill treatments showed similar results, also maintaining viral suppression at a rate of about 94-96%,” study authors said in the report.

India-specific trials needed

While additional clinical trials are under way to confirm the long-term safety and effectiveness of the BIC/LEN combination tablet, Dr I S Gilada, president-emeritus, AIDS Society of India said the results were not unexpected as both molecules Bictegravir as well as Lenacapavir have been individually found to be safe in several studies. “There are already three two-drug combinations available globally that have been in use for the last decade, namely Dolutegravir+Lamivudine (Dovato / TwinaQT), Dolutegravir+Rilpivirine (Julaca) and Cabotegravir+Rilpivrine (Cabenuva). Of this, the first one is available in India. The new combo, BIC/LEN, when licensed, will be the fourth two-drug combo in the basket, not giving any added advantage but just one more option,” he added.

He also pointed out that every new drug or drug combination must undergo a Phase III trial in India. “Indian pharmaceutical companies spend approximately Rs 10 crore or more per trial. Many hesitate due to uncertainty about the Indian market for a particular molecule or combination, even if the trial is successful. In the long run, Indian generic manufacturers do benefit as large-scale production takes place in India. This improves affordability and accessibility for low- and middle-income countries worldwide, since the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation permits Indian manufacturers to produce locally and export to other countries,” Dr Gilada explained.

HIV burden in India

There are an estimated 26 lakh people living with HIV in India. Currently 18 lakh are on treatment. The current strategy is “test and treat”, which means treatment is started as soon as the person tests positive for HIV, irrespective of their CD4 count, which tests their immune status.

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They are started on three drug regimens as the first line antiretroviral therapy (ART), which is a single tablet regimen that contains three molecules — Tenofovir Lamivudine + Dolutegravir, termed as TLD. Whereas the “test and treat” model was launched in 2017, the TLD regimen was launched in 2020. Later on, those already on TLE regimen (Tenofovovir+Lamivudine+ Efavirenz) were switched to TLD.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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