Breakthrough HIV Drug Could Cost $40 Annually

A breakthrough in HIV prevention has been achieved with the new drug Lenacapavir, which has shown 100% effectiveness in preventing infections in a large clinical trial involving over 5,000 women in South Africa and Uganda. The drug, administered as a twice-yearly injection, offers a more discreet and manageable prevention method compared to daily pills, which have adherence issues. While currently priced at over $40,000 annually, research suggests it could be produced for as little as $40, making it far more accessible. The results have sparked calls for the pharmaceutical company Gilead to make the drug available globally at an affordable price, potentially through generic licensing. If widely adopted, Lenacapavir could significantly reduce HIV transmission, particularly in high-risk regions. The findings were presented at the International AIDS Conference and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.