An injectable drug for HIV prevention will be available in 120 developing countries starting in 2027. It will be administered twice a year, every six months, to high-risk HIV-negative individuals, at a cost of $40 annually per patient, according to Gilead, the company that brought it to market.
Last year, there were 1,3 million new HIV infections worldwide, and experts say lenacapavir, as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drug, almost completely prevented new infections during clinical trials.
There had been doubts about whether the drug would be affordable enough to make a difference in countries with the highest HIV rates, since it was initially released in the U.S. at a price of $28.218 per year.
The drug was initially released in the U.S. at $28,218 per year, and the WHO has described it as the best solution after a vaccine against HIV.
However, the $40 price point places it in the same category as HIV prevention pills, which many at-risk individuals struggle to access. The stigma surrounding HIV often leads people to hide the fact that they take them.
Unitaid’s director, Dr. Philippe Duneton, said: “Securing a $40 price for twice-yearly lenacapavir injections for PrEP is a historic breakthrough that proves the most advanced tools can be made affordable from the start”.
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