Breakthrough HIV Prevention: Landmark Deal for Generic Lenacapavir PrEP Aims to End Pandemic

In what is being hailed as a "pivotal moment" for global health, a landmark agreement has been forged to make Generic Lenacapavir PrEP, a groundbreaking HIV prevention drug, accessible to millions in the world's poorest countries. This ambitious bid to prevent the spread of HIV represents one of the most significant steps yet toward potentially bringing the 45-year-old pandemic to heel. The announcement comes after calls from global bodies like UNAIDS, which recently highlighted the urgent need for affordable HIV prevention drugs and lauded lenacapavir as a breakthrough.

The drug at the center of this excitement is lenacapavir, an injectable medicine from Gilead Sciences sold under the brand name Yeztugo. What makes it revolutionary is its convenience and efficacy as a form of pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. Study data has shown that a single set of injections administered just twice a year—once every six months—could provide virtually complete protection against HIV infection. This long-acting formula is seen as a game-changer compared to daily pills, which can pose adherence challenges for users.

The new arrangements are being spearheaded by a consortium of prominent global health organizations, including Unitaid, the Clinton Health Access Initiative, and the Gates Foundation. These groups will provide crucial financing and technical support to two of the world's largest generic medicine purveyors: Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories and Hetero Labs, both based in India. By backing these experienced manufacturers, the initiative aims to rapidly scale up production and ensure a reliable supply chain.

Under the terms of the deal, the generic version of the injectable drug will be made available at the remarkably low price of $40 per person per year. This affordable version is slated for distribution across 120 low- and middle-income countries, where the burden of HIV remains highest and access to preventative medicine is most critical. While the impact is expected to be immense, the rollout is planned to begin in early 2027, allowing time for manufacturing and distribution logistics to be established. This initiative directly addresses the urgent need for accessible and effective HIV prevention tools, marking a truly significant and hopeful step toward ending a pandemic that has afflicted the globe for decades.

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🔖 Sources

Global health groups push to make cheap generic versions of an HIV prevention drug sold by Gilead

Landmark deal paves way for cheaper HIV protection jab

Unitaid, CHAI, and Wits RHI enter into a landmark agreement with Dr. Reddy’s to make HIV prevention tool lenacapavir affordable in LMICs

UNAIDS welcomes the announcement of new deals to make new HIV prevention medicines available and affordable for people in need

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