HIV prevention drug to be made affordable in Nigeria, 119 countries
Gilead Sciences has announced plans to make cheaper versions of its revolutionary HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, available in 120 low and middle-income countries, including Nigeria.
Lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV treatment given as a twice-yearly injection, has demonstrated significant success in preventing HIV infections during clinical trials.
In South Africa and Uganda, lenacapavir stopped new infections among girls and women, while a separate trial involving men from Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, and the US showed nearly complete protection against HIV transmission.
To ensure widespread access, Gilead signed voluntary, non-exclusive, royalty-free licensing agreements with six major pharmaceutical manufacturers: Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Emcure, Eva Pharma, Ferozsons Laboratories, Hetero, and Mylan.
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These agreements will allow these companies to produce and distribute generic versions of lenacapavir across the designated countries.
In a statement, Gilead emphasized that these agreements were finalized ahead of regulatory submissions, facilitating the rapid introduction of generic lenacapavir in the HIV prevention market once it is officially approved.
Additionally, the company will prioritize 18 countries with high HIV incidence rates for the immediate supply of the drug, including Nigeria, Kenya, South Africa, Uganda, and several others in sub-Saharan Africa and Asia.
Gilead’s CEO, Daniel O’Day, noted the critical need for swift access to lenacapavir, given its transformative potential in the fight against HIV.
He said, “Gilead teams have been working with urgency to bring on high-volume generic manufacturers now, so that we can ensure a rapid transition to these voluntary license partners after lenacapavir for PrEP [pre-exposure prophylaxis] is approved.”
This effort is part of Gilead’s broader strategy to tackle the HIV epidemic globally by making high-impact treatments accessible to all, especially in resource-limited settings.
The agreements cover both lenacapavir for HIV prevention and for treatment in adults with multi-drug resistant HIV.
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