Gilead Sciences will provide its twice-yearly experimental HIV prevention drug lenacapavir to six generic drug manufacturers to produce affordable versions of the drug for 120 low- and middle-income countries, including Nigeria. announced a new license agreement. Approval is secured.
The company has been criticized for prioritizing profits over patient access, highlighting the urgent need for affordable treatment options for people at risk of HIV.
By partnering with these manufacturers, Gilead hopes to expand access to lenacapavir and address continuing challenges in HIV prevention and treatment.
Lenacapavir has shown promise as a powerful new HIV prevention option with impressive results in clinical trials. In one trial of men and transgender people, only two of the more than 2,000 participants who received the drug became infected with HIV. In another trial of women and adolescent girls in Africa, the drug provided 100% protection against HIV infection.
The drug has not yet been approved as a prophylactic, but studies suggest a generic version could be manufactured for as little as $40 a year. The drug’s current list price in the United States is $42,250 for the first year and $39,000 per year thereafter. Promising trial results have increased pressure on Gilead to increase access to the drug in countries with high HIV rates where brand-name products can be difficult to buy.
Gilead CEO Daniel O’Day said, “Gilead’s team is currently working urgently to bring in a large number of generic manufacturers,” and is working to expand production following approval. He said there was.
Gilead aims to apply for regulatory approval in select countries by the end of this year. The drug is already approved under the brand name Sanlenka to treat HIV for people who have failed other treatments. A lower-cost version will also be available for people with difficult-to-treat HIV infections through a voluntary licensing agreement.
But Gilead noted that it will take time for generic companies to ramp up production. The company plans to prioritize approval in 18 countries with high HIV infection rates, including South Africa, Kenya, Nigeria, Thailand and Vietnam.
About Lena Kapa Building
Lenacapavir represents a major advance in HIV treatment and prevention, providing a long-acting solution that improves medication adherence by reducing the frequency of dosing.
Unlike tablets that are taken daily, it only needs to be injected once every six months, making it easier to continue treatment. Lenacapavir works by targeting the protective shell of the virus to stop it from multiplying and spreading within the body.
Studies have shown that it can effectively reduce the amount of HIV in people who are already infected and help prevent the virus in people who are at high risk.
The growing HIV crisis among children
The Federal Government has expressed concern about the alarming number of people infected with HIV in Nigeria, with an estimated 140,000 people currently living with the virus. Despite continued efforts, pediatric coverage remains at only 35%, far below the global standard of 95%.
This leaves a significant number of children vulnerable, as the country records more than 22,000 new HIV infections each year and approximately 300 children die each year from complications caused by the virus. are.
Globally, the situation is equally dire. According to UNICEF, of the estimated 40 million people living with HIV worldwide in 2023, 2.38 million were children aged 0 to 19 years. Every day, approximately 685 children become infected with HIV and approximately 250 children die from AIDS-related causes, primarily due to inadequate HIV prevention, care, and treatment services. As of 2023, approximately 14.1 million children under the age of 18 have lost one or both parents to AIDS-related causes. Millions more are affected by infectious diseases and are at increased risk of poverty, homelessness, school dropout, discrimination and missed opportunities, which are exacerbated by COVID-19. In total, of the estimated 630,000 deaths from AIDS-related illnesses in 2023, approximately 90,000 (approximately 14%) were children under the age of 20.
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