A report by the Global Fund has revealed that lower-income countries are considered to gain access to a groundbreaking HIV prevention drug following a landmark agreement with US pharmaceutical company Gilead.
In a statement released on Wednesday, The health financing group described the deal as a “significant milestone for global health equity”, marking the first time in history that an HIV prevention product will be introduced in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) at the same time as in high-income countries.
The agreement will enable the procurement of lenacapavir – marketed as Yeztugo – for use as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in LMICs. Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration last month, the drug requires only two injections per year and has shown an efficacy of reducing HIV transmission risk by over 99.9 per cent in adults and adolescents.
Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands, said: “This is not just a scientific breakthrough – it’s a turning point for HIV/AIDS. For the first time, we have a tool that can fundamentally change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic – but only if we get it to the people who need it most.”
Unlike existing PrEP options that require daily pills, lenacapavir offers a discreet, long-acting alternative. The Global Fund plans to reach at least two million people with the injectable drug, with the first shipment expected to arrive in an African country before the end of the year.
South African Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi described the development as “a game changer for South Africa”, adding: “Lenacapavir offers young women, and everyone at risk, a discreet, long-acting option to stay HIV-free.”
The Global Fund said the rollout represents “a transformational shift in how HIV prevention is delivered to communities with the highest burden of new infections”, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, where adolescent girls and young women remain disproportionately affected.
