A groundbreaking HIV-prevention injection could be available for as little as $40 per year in more than 100 low- and middle-income countries from 2027, following new deals struck by Unitaid and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundationwith Indian drugmakers.
The drug, lenacapavir, marketed as Yeztugo by California-based Gilead Sciences, is administered twice yearly and has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by over 99.9 percent. In the United States, however, it costs about $28,000 annually, putting it far out of reach for most people globally.
“Far cheaper generic versions are really critical for the scale-up of prevention of HIV,” said Carmen Perez Casas, Unitaid’s strategic lead for HIV.
“Now, with this product, we can end HIV.”
Unitaid confirmed on Wednesday that it has partnered with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and Wits RHI to supply the injection across 120 nations at an annual cost of $40 per person starting in 2027.
“The product is going to be at the beginning manufactured in India,” Perez Casas explained. “But we also are working towards regional production in the future.”
The Gates Foundation also announced a similar deal with Indian pharmaceutical company Hetero, aimed at making the drug widely accessible.
“Scientific advances like lenacapavir can help us end the HIV epidemic, if they are made accessible to people who can benefit from them the most,” said Trevor Mundel, head of global health at the Gates Foundation.
While the generic versions are still two years away, Gilead has already signed licensing deals with six generic manufacturers and has an agreement with the Global Fund to deliver affordable access sooner. The U.S. government recently reaffirmed support for this initiative, despite concerns over foreign aid cuts.
The program aims to deliver the first supplies of Yeztugo to at least one African country before the end of 2025, marking a critical step in HIV prevention efforts.
Since 2010, global efforts have cut new HIV infections by 40 percent, according to UNAIDS. Still, 1.3 million people contracted HIV in 2024, underscoring the urgent need for prevention breakthroughs like lenacapavir.
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