Gilead Announces Availability of Cheaper HIV Prevention Drug in 120 Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Gilead Sciences, the manufacturer of the HIV prevention drug lenacapavir, has announced that it will make cheaper versions of the medication available in 120 low- and middle-income countries. The company has signed agreements with six manufacturers to produce and sell generic lenacapavir in these countries, which are mainly lower-income nations. However, campaigners have expressed concern that the deal "abandons" many countries with high HIV burdens, particularly in Latin America, and have urged transparency over exact pricing.

Key Takeaways:

• Gilead Sciences has signed agreements with six manufacturers to produce and sell generic lenacapavir in 120 low- and middle-income countries, including Botswana, South Africa, and Thailand.
• The agreements come with "draconian conditions" that could make it harder for people in excluded countries to access the medication, according to Dr. Mohga Kamal-Yanni, policy co-lead for the People's Medicines Alliance.
• Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injection, has shown strong results in trials for HIV prevention, with a high success rate in preventing infection in girls and women in South Africa and Uganda.
• The company has faced pressure to make lenacapavir available as soon as possible and as cheaply as possible globally, with researchers suggesting it could be profitably produced for just $40 (£30) a patient per year.
• Gilead will also provide Gilead-supplied product to bridge the gap until the manufacturers are up and running, prioritizing registration in 18 countries with high HIV rates.

Statistics:

• 120 low- and middle-income countries will have access to cheaper versions of lenacapavir.
• 41% of new HIV infections occur in upper middle-income countries, which were excluded from the licence agreements under Gilead's terms.
• The six licensees include India-based Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Emcure Pharmaceuticals, and Hetero Labs, as well as US-based Viatris' unit Mylan, Egypt's Eva Pharma, and Pakistan-based Ferozsons Laboratories.
• Gilead-supplied product will be provided to bridge the gap until the manufacturers are up and running, with prioritization in 18 countries with high HIV rates.
• Researchers estimate that lenacapavir could be produced for just $40 (£30) per patient per year.

Sources:

• Gilead Sciences press release, no date
• People's Medicines Alliance press release, no date
• UNAIDS statement by Winnie Byanyima, no date
• BMJ report on lenacapavir trials, September 2022
• Gilead Sciences investor relations website, no date