Unitaid announced that a South African laboratory will produce lenacapavir, an injectable HIV treatment developed by the US pharmaceutical company Gilead, for the African market. Lenacapavir is a capsid inhibitor that only needs to be administered twice a year, representing a significant advance over daily oral pills.
According to Unitaid, the agreement aims to increase access to this long-acting treatment in low- and middle-income countries, where HIV remains a major public health challenge. The South African lab, whose identity has not been disclosed, will manufacture the drug under a voluntary license from Gilead.
Lenacapavir was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in December 2022 for the treatment of HIV-1 infection in heavily treatment-experienced adults. Clinical trials have shown it to be effective in suppressing viral load with infrequent dosing.
This initiative is part of broader efforts to expand access to innovative HIV therapies in Africa, where approximately 25 million people live with HIV. The production in South Africa could reduce costs and improve supply chain reliability.
