New HIV pill works with or without food in early safety tests

People living with HIV need reliable medicines that fit into real life. Eating habits change, and some drugs work better on an empty stomach. This early study tested a new combination pill to see if food changes how the body handles it. Ninety-three people without HIV took the fixed-dose tablet containing islatravir and lenacapavir. They also took the same drugs separately under fasted conditions to compare results. The team measured how much drug entered the bloodstream over time. They also watched for any safety issues or side effects. The results showed that the combined pill worked well in both fed and fasted states. Islatravir levels were similar whether food was present or not. Lenacapavir levels also stayed consistent. Eating did not hurt the effectiveness of the treatment. The drugs remained safe and well tolerated by participants. This finding matters because it removes a major barrier to taking medicine. Patients do not need to worry about timing meals around their dose. This supports plans for a once-weekly oral treatment option that does not require strict food rules. The study results informed larger future investigations to confirm these benefits in people with HIV.