In a significant advancement in global health equity, the Global Fund has secured access to lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable for HIV prevention, for both low- and middle-income countries marking a significant achievement in the fight to end AIDS.
Both developing countries and high-income nations will be rolled out with HIV prevention drug for the first time in history.
“This is a turning point and now we finally have a tool that can shift the trajectory of the epidemic but only if it reaches those who need it most.” said Peter Sands, Executive Director of the Global Fund
Lenacapavir is the first injectable PrEP drug that only needs to be administered twice a year offering new hope for people who face challenges with daily pills due to stigma or access issues.
Under the new access agreement with manufacturer Gilead Sciences, eligible countries can now begin plans to roll out the drug, with first deliveries expected in Africa by late 2025.
The focus is on high-incidence areas such as South Africa, where young women and girls continue to bear the highest burden of new HIV infections.
“Lenacapavir gives young women a discreet and powerful option to protect themselves,” said Dr. Aaron Motsoaledi, South Africa’s Health Minister. “But science alone is not enough. We must back it with investment, leadership, and action.”
The Global Fund aims to reach at least 2 million people with the new drug. Backing this ambition are partners like the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the Gates Foundation, WHO, UNAIDS, and others offering financial and technical support to scale the rollout.
Kate Hampton, CIFF CEO, said the move is about putting equity into action: “No one should be left behind. This is how we close the gap by making lifesaving innovations accessible to everyone.”
With continued investment and collaboration, the introduction of long-acting PrEP like lenacapavir could help bend the curve of the epidemic especially in regions where daily prevention methods haven’t been enough.
For now, all eyes are on delivery, as countries prepare to implement the breakthrough in real-world settings. The race to end HIV just gained a powerful new ally and this time, no one has to wait.
