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Six-monthly injections prevent HIV infection - Turning point?

An HIV infection no longer has to be fatal today, treatments enable a largely normal life. However, the goal remains to prevent infections - it seems there is a milestone in sight.

,   and  Yaroslav Smith
3 min read
Activists protest for affordable means.
Activists protest for affordable means.

HIV - Six-monthly injections prevent HIV infection - Turning point?

A semiannually injected medication is reportedly able to reliably prevent HIV infections, according to research presented at the "New England Journal of Medicine" (NEJM) and the World Aids Conference in Munich. This news has raised great hopes in the fight against Aids. At the same time, there is growing pressure on the pharmaceutical company Gilead to allow the production of affordable generics, in order to make the medication widely accessible in heavily HIV-affected regions of the Global South. Lenacapavir has been approved for use in HIV therapy in several countries so far.

No Infections

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 were no infections. In contrast, there were 55 HIV infections among the approximately 3200 participants in the two other groups who received different oral PrEP medications.

Groundbreaking Progress

Sharon Lewin, President of the International Aids Society (IAS), spoke of a groundbreaking advancement.

Pressure on Manufacturers

The manufacturer Gilead is increasingly facing demands to make the Medicine widely available in developing countries as quickly and affordably as possible - and contribute to the global goal of ending the HIV epidemic by 2030. According to researchers from Liverpool and NGOs, including Doctors Without Borders, the price of Lenacapavir in the US is estimated to be around $40,000 per year. The UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima spoke at the opening of the Aids Conference about a "wonder drug" that needs to be made available to people in Asia, Latin America, and Africa as soon as possible. It is possible to make the medication available for $100 or less.

Hope for Young Women in Southern Africa

Above all, young women in Africa, who are particularly affected by HIV, could benefit from this form of prevention. According to UNAIDS, 4000 young women are infected with HIV worldwide every week, more than 3000 of whom are in Sub-Saharan Africa. Women are sometimes discriminated against for taking the previously used daily oral PrEP, for example, because it is assumed that they are infected.

  1. The research proposal for the semiannually injected medication aiming to prevent HIV infections was extensively discussed at the "New England Journal of Medicine" and the World AIDS Conference in Munich.
  2. The groundbreaking progress in HIV/AIDS treatment was highlighted during the World AIDS Conference in Munich, Germany.
  3. The affordable production of generics for the HIV-preventing medication is a pressing concern at International Conferences and within the United Nations.
  4. Lenacapavir, a medication used in HIV therapy, has shown promising results in preventing HIV infections, as presented in The New England Journal of Medicine.
  5. The lack of HIV infections among the Lenacapavir group in southern Africa and Uganda is a significant development in the fight against HIV/AIDs.
  6. The high price of Lenacapavir in the United States, estimated to be around $40,000 per year, has sparked calls for affordability and widespread accessibility in HIV-affected regions of Africa.
  7. The World AIDS Conference in Munich emphasized the need for global cooperation to make the HIV-preventing medication available to high-risk populations, such as women in Africa.
  8. The openly-discussed demand for Gilead to make their HIV-preventing medication widely accessible in developing countries is a topic of discussion at the Bavaria-based World AIDS Conference.
  9. The HIV infection rate among young women in South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa is significantly reduced with the adoption of the new HIV-prevention medication.
  10. The hope for women in Africa in their fight against HIV/AIDs is strengthened by the promising results of the recently-released Lenacapavir study.
  11. Science and medicine will continue to advance as they collaborate on groundbreaking treatments, such as the HIV-preventing injection, and improve the health of people around the world, especially in developing countries.

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