Global Fund, PEPFAR Announce Coordinated Effort to Reach 2 Million People with Lenacapavir for PrEP to Significantly Reduce Global HIV Infections
New Injectable HIV Prevention drug Coudl Revolutionize Fight Against AIDS
WASHINGTON D.C. – A groundbreaking new injectable drug for HIV prevention could soon be within reach for millions, thanks to a historic collaboration between leading global health organizations. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS,Tuberculosis and Malaria,the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Children’s investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) have joined forces to ensure rapid and equitable access to lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable PrEP option, pending regulatory approval.
This aspiring initiative aims to provide access to lenacapavir for at least 2 million people over the next three years in countries supported by PEPFAR and the Global Fund. This commitment is backed by significant funding from CIFF and support from BMGF.
Lenacapavir, developed by Gilead Sciences, is already approved in several countries for treating adults with multidrug-resistant HIV. Recent clinical trial results have shown its immense potential in preventing new HIV infections. If rolled out alongside existing prevention methods like daily oral PrEP, lenacapavir could substantially accelerate progress towards ending HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, as outlined in the Sustainable Development Goals.
“At the Global Fund, we are incredibly excited by the promise of lenacapavir and its potential to help us achieve a further significant reduction in new infections among individuals at high risk of acquiring HIV,” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund.
Ambassador Dr. John Nkengasong, U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator,emphasized the urgency of the situation: “We cannot reach a sustainable HIV response without rapidly reducing the 1.3 million new HIV infections that occur worldwide every year. Lenacapavir offers a potentially tremendous opportunity to transform the impact of HIV programs.”
Sir Chris Hohn,CIFF’s Founder and Chair,stressed the importance of equitable access: “We must urgently break the cycle of HIV transmission and get back on track to achieve the 2030 goals. Testing and prevention are vital, where innovations like lenacapavir can profoundly impact the lives of millions. It will be a travesty if the communities who need it most don’t have access. That is why this collaboration is so essential.”
Gilead has already taken steps to ensure affordability by signing royalty-free voluntary licensing agreements with six pharmaceutical companies to manufacture and supply generic versions of lenacapavir for HIV prevention in 120 primarily low- and lower-middle-income countries.
The Global Fund and PEPFAR will work closely with CIFF, BMGF, WHO, Unitaid, UNAIDS, and other partners to support countries in implementing national and sub-national HIV long-acting injectable PrEP programs.
“Implementation of affordable lenacapavir at scale,alongside other HIV prevention interventions,has the potential to catalyze improved sustainability of the HIV response,” said Hui Yang,Head of Supply Operations at the Global Fund.
Trevor Mundel, president of Global Health at BMGF, highlighted the foundation’s commitment: “Our mission is to work alongside communities and partners to change that by ensuring access to game-changing products like lenacapavir that can protect individuals from HIV infection and help to end the disease.”
This collaborative effort represents a major step forward in the fight against HIV/AIDS, offering hope for a future where this devastating disease is no longer a public health threat.
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