(Source-mercurynews.com)
Breakthrough Results in Protection against HIV
A groundbreaking study has unveiled that a twice-yearly injection, known as lenacapavir, offers nearly 100% protection against HIV infection. Conducted in South Africa and Uganda, this study reported no new infections among the women and girls who received the injection. This remarkable result represents a significant advancement in the fight and protection against HIV/AIDS.
Promising Results from Lenacapavir Trials
The study involved approximately 5,000 participants and compared the efficacy of lenacapavir, a new injectable treatment developed by US drugmaker Gilead, to traditional prevention methods. Women who received the biannual shots exhibited a 100% efficacy rate in preventing HIV, while about 2% of those using daily prevention pills contracted the virus from infected partners.
Professor Salim Abdool Karim, a director of an AIDS research center in Durban, South Africa, remarked on the study’s findings: “To see this level of protection is stunning.” His praise underscores the potential impact of lenacapavir on protection against HIV.
Current Use and Future Prospects
Lenacapavir, marketed as Sunlenca, is currently approved for HIV treatment in various regions, including the US, Canada, and Europe. However, it is not yet authorized for use as a preventive measure. Gilead is awaiting further test results in men before pursuing regulatory approval for the preventive use of lenacapavir.
The study results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine and discussed at an AIDS conference in Munich, were so promising that the research was halted early. All participants were offered the lenacapavir injections as a result.
Advantages Over Existing Prevention Methods
Current HIV prevention methods, such as condoms and daily pills, have had variable success, particularly in Africa. In the study, only about 30% of participants who were prescribed Gilead’s Truvada or Descovy pills adhered to their regimen consistently, and adherence decreased over time. The introduction of a twice-a-year injection could address these compliance issues.
Thandeka Nkosi, who assisted with the research at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation in South Africa, emphasized the transformative potential of lenacapavir: “It gives participants a choice and eliminates the stigma around taking pills to protection against HIV.”
Concerns About Affordability and Access
While experts are enthusiastic about lenacapavir’s potential, there are concerns about its cost and accessibility. Gilead has not yet established an affordable price for the injections, which currently cost over $40,000 per year in the US. The company has proposed a “voluntary licensing program,” which would allow a limited number of generic producers to manufacture the drug.
Winnie Byanyima, executive director of the UN AIDS agency, urged Gilead to share Sunlenca’s patent with a UN-backed program to facilitate the production of affordable versions for poorer countries. She likened the potential impact of Sunlenca to the earlier breakthrough of AIDS drugs that transformed the disease from a death sentence into a manageable condition.
Potential Impact on Global HIV Rates
Dr. Helen Bygrave of Doctors Without Borders highlighted the potential for lenacapavir to significantly alter the course of the HIV epidemic if it becomes widely available in high-prevalence countries. She called on Gilead to set a price that would ensure accessibility for all.
UNAIDS reports that HIV infections globally amount to about 1.3 million cases annually, with over 600,000 deaths, primarily in Africa. Although progress has been made, HIV infections are rising in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. The introduction of a highly effective preventive measure like lenacapavir could be a game-changer.
Conclusion
As discussions about the cost and distribution of lenacapavir continue, the study’s findings represent a significant leap forward in protection against HIV. The prospect of a twice-a-year injection offers hope for a more effective and less stigmatizing method of protection against HIV, particularly in regions where adherence to daily pills has been a challenge. If Gilead can address affordability and accessibility issues, lenacapavir could play a crucial role in reducing the global burden of HIV/AIDS.
