The HIV epidemic has affected millions globally since the 1980s. While it remains a major public health issue, recent clinical trials of lenacapavir, developed by Gilead Sciences, show significant effectiveness in preventing new HIV infections.
According to an NPR article, the recent PURPOSE 2 trial found lenacapavir to be 96% effective in preventing HIV infections in over 3,200 participants of different genders. In African countries, PURPOSE 1 trials had 100% efficacy in preventing HIV transmission among cisgender women.
Lenacapavir is unique in that it is a twice-a-year injection, as opposed to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) drugs like Truvada, which need to be taken every day. Despite being shown to be extremely effective in clinical settings, this efficacy has not held up in the real world, primarily due to the social stigma surrounding the oral pill, especially in African countries.
Lenacapavir has also been previously used for HIV treatment; however, Gilead Sciences is ensuring that it can be classified as a prevention drug as well. A significant challenge with lenacapavir, though, is its cost. PrEP costs around $4 in the U.S., while lenacapavir costs nearly $42,250 per year. Especially in low-income countries, where there is a focus on reducing drug prices, it will be difficult to achieve this with lenacapavir. Despite this, lenacapavir’s potential makes it a valuable alternative to PrEP and worth investing time and money into.
Works Cited
Cox, D., & Guinle, M. I. B. (2024, September 17). This preventive drug could be a “game changer” in ending the HIV epidemic. NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2024/09/17/g-s1-23248/hiv-drug-aids-epidemic-lenacapavir
