A new study has revealed that the highly anticipated drug Lenacapavir, set to launch in the US this week, could potentially be sold for just $25 a year. The twice-yearly injection is capable of preventing someone from being infected with HIV and has shown promising results in clinical trials.
The medication is expected to receive regulatory approval on June 19th, with manufacturer Gilead being urged to keep the cost as low as possible. According to the University of Liverpool’s analysis, Lenacapavir could be mass-produced for $25 a year if there is an annual demand for 2m doses, falling to $18.40 at scaled-up production.
The World Health Organization estimates that about 10 million people need to take HIV prevention drugs globally to achieve their goals. In light of this, Dr. Andrew Hill’s research suggests that charging more than $20,000 a year would make the treatment unaffordable for high-income countries as well.
Dr. Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS executive director, has expressed concerns over the potential price tag, stating that it could lead to a reversal of progress in controlling HIV and may not end the pandemic. Gilead has agreements with six generic companies to produce low-cost versions of Lenacapavir for 120 low-income countries.
However, campaigners are concerned that the scheme excludes some countries, including Brazil, Argentina, and parts of eastern Europe, where new HIV cases occur in large numbers. Gilead has promised to plan for access to Lenacapavir globally but says its global price planning is ongoing and will take into account nearly two decades of research and development.
The launch of Lenacapavir marks a significant breakthrough in the fight against HIV and could potentially turn off the tap of new infections with long-acting preventive medicines like this one.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/17/hiv-ending-drug-lenacapavir-manufacture-cost-per-patient-gilead