US backing for a revolutionary HIV medication sparks excitement within the medical profession
The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the global leader in combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic, has received a significant boost with the U.S. announcing an investment in the HIV prevention drug lenacapavir. This decision, supported by both political parties, has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives.
PEPFAR, which accounts for more than 90% of PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) initiations globally, is set to play a pivotal role in the distribution of lenacapavir. The most precise expected time for the availability of the drug in Africa, particularly South Africa, is from April 2026, with an initial roll-out in about 300 public sector clinics, continuing through to March 2028. Cheaper generic versions are anticipated to be available from early 2027.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, World Health Organization, and European Medicines Agency have already approved lenacapavir. The U.S. support will help defray the cost of the drug, with an estimated price of around $100 per person per year.
Clinical trial results for lenacapavir showed that twice-yearly injections can provide almost complete protection against contracting HIV. Lenacapavir is also used to treat HIV.
The announcement about lenacapavir indicates that PEPFAR and the U.S. government are back in the PrEP business. African countries need to green light the drug for its approval. The U.S. financial commitment is a partnership with the Global Fund and Gilead Science, the California-based biopharma company that makes the drug.
The aim is to reach up to 2 million people by 2028 with the antiretroviral medication. Gilead Sciences has shared the license for lenacapavir with six generic manufacturers, and the drug giant is offering lenacapavir to PEPFAR and the Global Fund at cost and without a profit.
The original discoveries that made this medicine possible were funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The financial support will help ensure the medication is available in select low- and middle-income countries where the virus takes a big toll.
The drug lenacapavir could be available in hot spots in Africa by the end of this year or early next year. The announcement has sparked reflections on the power of PEPFAR and its impact on Africa, with experts like Professor Larry Corey, the director of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, expressing optimism about the future of HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention.
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