SEARCH SAPPHIRE Results Presented at 25th International AIDS Conference

Dr. Elijah Kakande (left) presenting results form the Extension of SEARCH SAPPHIRE Phase A Dynamic Choice Prevention Study; Drs. James Ayieko and Matt Hickey (right) standing with poster, “Feasibility and early outcomes of the SEARCH multi-disease population-level community health worker-led intervention for integrated HIV and severe hypertension services in rural East Africa”

Results from SEARCH SAPPHIRE Phase A studies and Extension of SEARCH SAPPHIRE Phase A Dynamic Choice Prevention Study were presented in July at the 2024 AIDS conference, held in Munich, Germany.

Dr. Elijah Kakande (Infectious Disease Research Collaboration) presented results of participant knowledge, feasibility, and acceptability of CAB-LA in the Extension of SEARCH SAPPHIRE Phase A Dynamic Choice Prevention Study, the first randomized study of a person-centered model offering structured choice between long-acting Cabotegravir (CAB-LA), oral PrEP and PEP with option to change over time.  Study results revealed that over half of participants who were offered choice of oral PrEP/PEP or CAB-LA chose and started CAB-LA during the first 48 weeks. CAB-LA was demonstrated to be a popular choice for both men and women and was feasible to deliver with a high level of satisfaction. The presentation was mentioned as a “scientific highlight” of the conference, found here, and Ugandan SEARCH program manager and scientist, Jane Kabami (Infectious Disease Research Collaboration), was quoted in Health Policy Watch on participant choice of CAB-LA during the extension. The full article can be found here. Dr. Kakande was also awarded the Journal of the International AIDS Society (JIAS) Impact Award for his 2023 publication, “A community-based dynamic choice model for HIV prevention improves PrEP and PEP coverage in rural Uganda and Kenya: a cluster randomized trial,” linked here.

SEARCH Social Sciences/Qualitative Studies Investigator, Dr. Carol Camlin, presented two posters, sharing findings from both the Phase A Dynamic Choice Prevention Study and DCP CAB-LA Extension. Notable findings include adherence was more easily achieved with CAB-LA in the Extension study, compared to PrEP, boosting clients’ confidence in prevention efficacy.

Dr. Matt Hickey, shared a poster presentation on the “Feasibility and early outcomes of the SEARCH multi-disease population-level community health worker-led intervention for integrated HIV and severe hypertension services in rural East Africa,” that illustrated that community health worker hypertension screening and treatment support through clinician telehealth is feasible in a population-level approach.