Low-income countries to receive breakthrough HIV prevention drug

Lower-income countries will gain access to a \"game-changing\" HIV prevention drug with a new deal signed between with United States pharmaceutical giant Gilead and the Global Fund, the health financing group said on Wednesday (Jul 9).

The group set up to battle AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria, described the deal to procure lenacapavir for low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) as \"a significant milestone for global health equity\".

\"This marks the first time in history that an HIV prevention product will be introduced in LMICs at the same time as in high-income countries,\" the Global Fund said in a statement.

The group said it hoped the agreement with Gilead would make it possible to reach two million people with the revolutionary drug, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration last month.

Drugs to prevent HIV transmission, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, have existed for more than a decade. But because they typically require taking a daily pill, they have yet to make a significant dent in global infections.

By contrast, lenacapavir, marketed under the brand name Yeztugo, requires only two injections per year and has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 per cent in adults and adolescents - making it functionally akin to a powerful vaccine.

\"This is not just a scientific breakthrough - it's a turning point for HIV/AIDS,\" Global Fund chief Peter Sands said.

\"For the first time, we have a tool that can fundamentally change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic - but only if we get it to the people who need it most.\"

According to the source: CNA.