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Two injections per year to prevent transmission of the virus. This drug developed by Gilead currently costs more than $40,000 per year per person. But a generic version could make it accessible for $40 and change the fight against AIDS worldwide.
A new treatment for AIDS could be a game changer. Developed by Gilead, the long-acting injectable form of lenacapavir was shown to be 100% effective in a study presented at the IAS 2024 conference in Munich. Sold for $40,000 per person each year, this treatment could be worth $40 in a generic version, according to an estimate revealed by researchers at the same international AIDS conference.
A drug capable of changing the fight against HIV
According to initial trials, the treatment would be 100% effective in preventing HIV infection. In addition, two injections per year would be sufficient, which makes it much easier to administer than current treatments that require taking several tablets daily. A method of administration and ease that leads some to say that it is “basically” a vaccine.
These results are extremely promising and could transform HIV management on a global scale. Its large-scale distribution to at-risk populations could potentially bring the epidemic under control.
A cost reduction from $40,000 to $40 for the generic version!
The treatment currently costs patients more than $40,000 a year in several countries, including the United States, France, Norway and Australia. But a new study, presented by Andrew Hill, a researcher at the University of Liverpool in the United Kingdom, at the International AIDS Conference in Munich, shows that the cost of manufacturing the drug could come down if Gilead allowed cheaper generic versions to be made. The researchers have been talking to major generic manufacturers in China and India, which already produce “pieces” of the final treatment.
According to the study, which has not been peer-reviewed, manufacturing the drug for a year could cost just $40, or 1,000 times less than the current price. The price was based on production volumes equivalent to treating 10 million people.
UNAIDS urges Gilead to ‘make history’
This 1,000-fold reduction in the cost of treatment and its prolonged action offer a glimmer of hope for millions of people around the world. This is a real paradigm shift in the fight against HIV. The World Health Organization (WHO) and several non-governmental organizations welcome this progress. They believe that this treatment could be a crucial tool in achieving the goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030. Making this treatment accessible could indeed save millions of lives.
UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima urged Gilead to “enter history“by authorizing the manufacture of generic versions of its antiretroviral. Gilead is awaiting data from a phase 3 clinical trial on the use of Lenacapavir to prevent HIV. Through its spokesperson interviewed by AFP, it declares its strategy to “provide high-quality, low-cost versions of Lenacapavir” in countries “where the need is greatest”, notably via contracts for a voluntary licensing program in order to “accelerate access to these versions of lenacapavir in countries with high incidence and limited resources”.
Gilead has announced its commitment to working with governments and health organizations to ensure that this treatment is available as widely as possible.
About 1.3 million people were infected with HIV in 2023.