This is intended for US audiences only.

Actor portrayal.

Welcome to PURPOSE 5

Having a choice matters in HIV prevention.

The number of new HIV diagnoses has decreased or remained stable in the United Kingdom (UK) and France. Despite this, key populations remain disproportionately affected, such as men who have sex with men of color, transgender individuals, cisgender women, and migrants. PURPOSE 5 is a clinical trial that will help determine if an investigational medication, lenacapavir, provides additional benefit as an HIV prevention strategy above daily oral PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) for people who are not currently on available PrEP options in the UK and France.

PURPOSE 5 is taking place in the UK and France and is currently enrolling.

What Is PrEP?

PrEP, or pre-exposure prophylaxis, helps prevent people from getting HIV. It is for people who do not have HIV (are HIV-negative), but could get HIV. It means taking prescription medicine routinely before exposure to HIV to help reduce the risk of getting HIV.

  • The PURPOSE studies are being done to see whether an investigational PrEP medicine, lenacapavir, helps reduce the chance of getting HIV through sex

Some factors that may increase the chance of getting HIV include:

  • Having sex with partners of unknown HIV status
  • Having sex with people who are living with HIV but not on HIV treatment and with an undetectable viral load
  • Having sex in a geographic area where HIV is common
  • Having sex while under the influence of substances or alcohol (which can increase risk indirectly by lowering people’s inhibitions and reducing use of safer sex practices)
  • Not using condoms consistently with partners of unknown status

Know the limits of PrEP

PrEP is the routine use of prescription medicine before exposure to HIV to prevent getting it. The most common way to get HIV is through sex or injection drug use.

According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PrEP is very effective when taken as prescribed. It can reduce the chance of getting HIV through sex by 99%. It also reduces getting HIV from injection drug use by at least 74%.

PrEP medication does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), so consistent condom use is important.

What is a sexual network?

“Sexual network” is a term that describes how you and your sexual partner or partners are connected.

Your sexual network includes:

  • You
  • Any current partners
  • All past partners
  • All of your partner’s partners (and so on)

What Does the Study Involve?

You will first have a single visit where the staff at the doctor’s office will ask you to review and sign an informed consent form that explains more about the study, During that visit, you will get an HIV test and other lab tests. Then the staff at the doctor’s office will ask more questions and run some medical tests to see if you meet all eligibility criteria to participate in the clinical research study.

  • If you do not have HIV and meet other eligibility criteria, you can choose to participate in the clinical research study
  • If you are confirmed to be living with HIV, you will be linked to HIV care

Which drug you receive is determined by chance.

  • The drug may be lenacapavir (2 out of 3 chance) or F/TDF (1 out of 3 chance)
  • Everyone who enrolls in the study will receive either a daily pill (Truvada, F/TDF) or an injection (lenacapavir) given every 6 months

The total length of time you can participate in this study is at least 1 year and up to 3.5 years.

  • After 1 year, participants will be offered the option to continue lenacapavir, or switch from F/TDF to lenacapavir
  • The visits are 4-13 weeks apart, with 4-8 visits per year

Find out more information about other PURPOSE
clinical trials that are currently enrolling.

PURPOSE studies overview