Gilead Sciences (GILD) and Merck (MRK) announced promising first data from a phase II study evaluating the combination of a once-weekly treatment regimen of Merck’s islatravir and Gilead’s lenacapavir. The data demonstrated the efficacy of this potential long-acting oral combination treatment option in maintaining viral suppression in individuals with HIV. At the 24-week mark, the combination of islatravir and lenacapavir showcased an impressive 94.2% rate of viral suppression (HIV-1 RNA <50 copies/mL), wit ...