Gilead Sciences has announced a groundbreaking initiative to make its HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, accessible and affordable in 120 low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. This twice-yearly injectable medication has shown remarkable results in clinical trials, significantly reducing HIV infection rates among both women and men [1).
Trials conducted in South Africa and Uganda demonstrated lenacapavir’s effectiveness in preventing HIV infections among girls and women. Further trials involving men across several countries, including Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and the US, indicated nearly complete protection.
To facilitate swift introduction, Gilead has entered into non-exclusive, royalty-free voluntary licensing agreements with six pharmaceutical manufacturers: Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories Limited, Emcure, Eva Pharma, Ferozsons Laboratories Limited, Hetero, and Mylan, a subsidiary of Viatris. These agreements enable the production and sale of generic lenacapavir in the targeted countries.
Gilead will provide its own supply of the drug to bridge the gap until the licensed manufacturers are operational, prioritizing registration in 18 high HIV prevalence countries. This two-part strategy ensures low-cost access to lenacapavir in resource-limited countries by establishing a robust voluntary licensing program and providing Gilead-supplied products at no profit until generic manufacturers can fully meet demand.
*Countries Prioritized for Registration:*
– Botswana
– Eswatini
– Ethiopia
– Kenya
– Lesotho
– Malawi
– Mozambique
– Namibia
– Nigeria
– Philippines
– Rwanda
– South Africa
– Tanzania
– Thailand
– Uganda
– Vietnam
– Zambia
– Zimbabwe
This initiative aligns with Gilead’s vision of ending the HIV epidemic for everyone, everywhere. With lenacapavir poised to make a significant impact in the fight against HIV, millions of people in Nigeria and beyond will soon have access to this life-changing medication.
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