Photo: Klaus Nielsen/Pexels
A drug that provides near-perfect protection against HIV with shots just twice a year will be made available at $40 per patient annually in low- and middle-income countries, offering new hope for ending the HIV epidemic which infects about 1.3 million people worldwide every year. Through two deals by philanthropic organizations, lenacapavir shots would cost the same as daily oral pills to prevent HIV. Gilead Sciences has said it would allow six companies to make generic copies of lenacapavir for 120 low- and middle-income countries and $40 price will be available in only those countries. An alternative, cabotegravir (brand name: Apretude), is injected every two months and made by ViiV Healthcare. Unitaid, the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Wits RHI negotiated a partnership with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, a generics manufacturer in India. The Gates Foundation forged a deal with Hetero, the largest manufacturer of HIV drugs worldwide. Generic versions of lenacapavir will be available starting in 2027.
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