Merck has announced it will present multiple new data sets from its HIV treatment and prevention research pipeline at the 26th International AIDS Conference, taking place from July 26 to 31 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The presentations will cover daily, weekly, and monthly dosing regimens.

The conference will feature, in the form of late-breaking research, a key focus on data from two once-weekly oral combination therapies in virologically suppressed adults with HIV-1. One presentation will cover the islatravir and lenacapavir combination regimen evaluated in the Phase 3 ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 trials. Previously released data showed the regimen met its primary efficacy endpoint at 48 weeks, demonstrating statistical non-inferiority compared to a daily standard of care. The other will present 24-week efficacy and safety results from a Phase 2b trial evaluating the islatravir and ulonivirine combination regimen.

Additionally, the conference will present 96-week data on a once-daily oral regimen of doravirine/islatravir, showing it maintained viral suppression in patients with specific baseline resistance-associated mutations. This fixed-dose combination tablet is already approved in the United States and Japan for use in certain virologically suppressed adult patients.

In the field of HIV prevention, Merck will present multiple Phase 1 study datasets for its once-monthly oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) candidate, MK-8527. Two Phase 3 clinical trials for this candidate are currently enrolling participants to evaluate its safety and efficacy as PrEP.

Dr. Eliav Barr, head of Global Clinical Development at Merck Research Laboratories, stated that AIDS 2026 is a significant opportunity to showcase the next phase of the company's HIV research, with a particular focus on the potential of islatravir-based, once-weekly oral therapies.