A new long-acting HIV prevention shot will soon become affordable for millions in poorer countries. Health groups announced on Wednesday that generic versions of the injectable drug lenacapavir will cost about $40 per person per year from 2027.
Unitaid and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said they have struck deals with Indian drugmakers to produce low-cost versions of the drug for 120 low- and middle-income countries.
Lenacapavir, sold under the brand name Yeztugo by US-based Gilead Sciences, is taken just twice a year and has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 percent. In the United States, the drug currently costs about $28,000 annually.
“Far cheaper generic versions are really critical for the scale-up of prevention of HIV,” said Carmen Perez Casas, Unitaid’s strategic lead for HIV. “Now, with this product, we can end HIV.”
Perez Casas said the first supply will come from India but added, “We also are working towards regional production in the future.”
The Gates Foundation said it has signed a similar deal with Indian manufacturer Hetero. “Scientific advances like lenacapavir can help us end the HIV epidemic, if they are made accessible to people who can benefit from them the most,” Trevor Mundel, head of global health at the Gates Foundation, said in a statement.
Unitaid confirmed its partnership involves Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Wits RHI to make the shot affordable in 120 nations by 2027.
The news comes as the world still struggles with HIV. UNAIDS data shows that while new infections have fallen by 40 percent since 2010, about 1.3 million people were newly infected in 2024 alone.
Pending the arrival of the cheaper generics, Gilead and the Global Fund have another agreement to help provide affordable access to lenacapavir in lower-income countries.
The United States confirmed this month that it would keep supporting the Global Fund plan despite earlier threats to foreign aid under former President Donald Trump.
Health experts hope that the new generic versions will help millions access lifesaving HIV prevention at a fraction of the current cost.
