New HIV Prevention Drug Expected in Poorest Countries by 2025

A new long-acting preventive HIV drug, lenacapavir, developed by Gilead Sciences, is anticipated to be available in the world’s poorest countries by late 2025 or early 2026, Reuters reported citing head of supply operations at the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

The drug, currently approved for treating multi-drug resistant HIV in the U.S. at a cost of approximately $42,250 per year, has shown promise in clinical trials for preventing infection.

The organization emphasized the need for timely regulatory approvals from authorities like the FDA and WHO to ensure that low- and middle-income countries are not left behind in access to this vital treatment. To facilitate this, the Global Fund plans to collaborate with the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and other foundations to support affordable access from the outset, aiming to reach at least two million people within three years.