Food in the USA And the drug administration has just approved Lenakapavir, the form of HIV prevention, which is almost 100 percent effective and requires only two doses a year. Science The magazine described the medicine The most important scientific progress from 2024
In clinical trials, Lenakapavir turned out to be effective 99.9 percent in preventing HIV infection by sexual transfer in people with a weight of over 35 kilograms. The drug, antiretroviral, works not by stimulating the immune response, but by blocking HIV from reproduction in the early stages – especially by disrupting the function of capside protein of the virus. This happens as long as the body receives injections every six months.
Lenakapavir has already been approved in some countries as HIV treatment in people with forms of resistant virus for other treatment methods. However, this week, its preventive employ was not approved anywhere, which making the FDA decision a significant modern development in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
The drug is not the first medicine that can be taken preventively to protect against HIV infection: tablets from exposure (PREP) have already been available in many countries, including in the United States. But they should be taken every day, and providing constant access to these drugs and that people actually remember to take them is a known challenge. We hope that the long -lasting effects of lenakapavir will assist people protect against virus.
According to its creator, Gilead Sciences, Lenacapavir will be sold under the trade name Yeztugo. The company undertook to produce 10 million doses by 2026.
“This is a historic day in a decades fight with HIV. Yeztugo is one of the most important scientists of our time and offers a very real opportunity to help in the end of the HIV epidemic,” said Daniel O’day, president and general director of Gilead, Wa statement on Wednesday.
However, the price of Lenacapavir can be an access barrier. Yeztugo will have an annual catalog price of USD 28,288 per person in the USA. Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of the Common UN Program for HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), also has marked in the past That the drug is unattainable for many people in Africa, where drugs can have the greatest impact. About two -thirds People living with HIV around the world live in sub -Saharan Africa.
Gilead on Wednesday Published details A two -part plan for offering access to lenakapavir “in 120 countries with high resources, which are primarily countries with low and lower income.” One step will be “voluntary licensing”, in which other companies receive permission to produce and sell general versions of the patented product in a specific country. In addition, the company claims that it plans to “deliver a Gilead product provided by Gilead until generic manufacturers are able to fully support demand in voluntary licensing countries.”
This story originally appeared Wired in Spanish and was translated from Spanish.
Updated 6-20-2025 15:30 BST: Details of the Gilead Science strategy were added to ensure access to lenakapavir in countries with low and lower income.