Half-yearly sprayed medication reliably prevents HIV infection
A medication that is injected semi-annually is said to reliably prevent an HIV infection according to research findings. The study, published in the "New England Journal of Medicine" (NEJM) and presented at the AIDS Conference in Munich, has raised great hopes in the fight against AIDS.
At the same time, there is a call on the pharmaceutical company Gilead to allow the production of affordable generics to make the medication more affordable in regions heavily affected by HIV in the Global South. Lenacapavir has been approved for HIV therapy for certain patients in several countries, including Europe, but until now.
The study involved approximately 5338 girls and young women in South Africa and Uganda who were originally HIV-negative. Among the 2134 participants who received Lenacapavir injections twice a year, there was no HIV infection reported. In contrast, there were a total of 55 HIV infections in the two other groups with approximately 3200 participants who took different medications for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis).
Lenacapavir was 100% effective, said the study's principal author and Director of the Desmond Tutu HIV Center at the University of Cape Town, Linda-Gail Bekker, to the applause of the audience at the AIDS Conference, the largest scientific gathering on HIV.
After the groundbreaking research findings revealed that Lenacapavir effectively prevents HIV infection when injected semiannually, there have been discussions about making the medicament more accessible, especially in areas heavily affected by HIV. Despite Lenacapavir's approval for therapy in certain regions, its high cost remains a concern.
