Twice-Yearly Shot Offers 100% HIV Protection, Study Finds

Twice-Yearly Shot Offers 100% HIV Protection, Study Finds

New Breakthrough in HIV Prevention

A recent study has found that a twice-yearly shot of lenacapavir, a drug manufactured by Gilead, has been shown to be 100% effective in preventing the transmission of HIV in females. This breakthrough could revolutionize HIV prevention and offer a new solution for those at risk of contracting the virus.

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The Study

The study, funded by Gilead and administered by some of its employees, involved more than 5,000 females in Uganda and South Africa. The participants were divided into three groups: one group received the twice-yearly injections of lenacapavir, while the other two groups received daily oral prevention pills – Descovy and Truvada. The results showed that none of the women in the group that received the injections contracted HIV, while 2% of the women in the groups that received the oral pills reported HIV infections.

The Potential Impact

If the drug can be made widely accessible, the potential to reduce the number of new HIV infections is enormous. According to the Foundation for Aids Research, approximately 39 million people worldwide live with HIV, and some of the highest numbers of diagnoses are in sub-Saharan Africa. In 2022, 3,100 young women and girls (ages 15 to 24) contracted HIV every week in sub-Saharan Africa.

How Lenacapavir Works

Lenacapavir, which is used as a treatment for HIV, is a capsid inhibitor. Capsid inhibitors disrupt the protein shells (capsids) of the HIV virus that are essential to replication, which can interrupt the process of multiplying in the body. According to Dr. Monica Gandhi, a professor of medicine at UCSF/San Francisco General Hospital, lenacapavir is a "first-in-class new HIV medication" with strong potency.

The Future of HIV Prevention

The results of this study are encouraging for the future of HIV prevention. According to Dr. Amit Achhra, an assistant professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, the future of HIV prevention is "exciting" in light of this breakthrough. "While we don’t have an HIV vaccine yet, injectable HIV PrEP comes close to what one might see as periodic ‘HIV vaccine,’ i.e. periodic shots that have very high efficacy in preventing HIV infection," Achhra said.

Accessibility and Cost

The cost of lenacapavir is currently over $40,000 for the first year, but it has been suggested that it could be sold for as little as $40, which would make it accessible to a much wider population. "If the drug can be more cheaply made than what the company is suggesting, that would be a huge boon for the field, especially in preventing HIV infection in low-and-middle-income countries," Gandhi said.

Conclusion

The results of this study are a significant breakthrough in the fight against HIV. If lenacapavir can be made widely accessible and at a lower cost, it could revolutionize HIV prevention and offer a new solution for those at risk of contracting the virus.

FAQs

Q: What is lenacapavir?
A: Lenacapavir is a capsid inhibitor used as a treatment for HIV.

Q: How does lenacapavir work?
A: Lenacapavir disrupts the protein shells (capsids) of the HIV virus that are essential to replication, which can interrupt the process of multiplying in the body.

Q: What are the results of the study?
A: The study found that the twice-yearly injections of lenacapavir were 100% effective in preventing the transmission of HIV in females.

Q: When will the results of the study be published?
A: The results of the study have already been published.

Q: When will lenacapavir be available for use?
A: The exact timeline for the availability of lenacapavir is not yet known, but it is expected to be approved in the US soon.

Q: How much will lenacapavir cost?
A: The current cost of lenacapavir is over $40,000 for the first year, but it has been suggested that it could be sold for as little as $40.