Staff Reporter
UNAIDS is calling for a reduction in the price of lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention injection, following the United States Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent approval of the drug.
“The new medicine is administered by injection once every six months and represents a significant step forward in improving prevention options for people at risk of HIV infection around the world. In an interview with The New York Times, Gilead Sciences announced a US list price of $28,218 (USD) per person per year. In a research paper published in The Lancet HIV this week, experts found that generic lenacapavir could cost $35–$46 per person-year. This could fall to $25 per person-year for a committed demand of five to ten million people within the first year, bringing pricing in line with, or lower than, current oral PrEP,” UNAIDS explained.
Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS and United Nations Under-Secretary-General, described the drug’s approval as a milestone, emphasising that it reflects decades of public investment, scientific progress, and the dedication of trial participants and communities.
She stressed that lenacapavir could be a crucial tool in curbing new HIV infections—provided it is priced affordably and made widely accessible.
“UNAIDS has seen research suggesting that lenacapavir can be produced for just $40 per person per year, falling to $25 within a year of roll-out. It is beyond comprehension how Gilead can justify a price of $28,218. If this game-changing medicine remains unaffordable, it will change nothing. I urge Gilead to do the right thing: drop the price, expand production, and ensure the world has a shot at ending AIDS,” Byanyima said.
