A twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV is expected to be formally approved by the European Commission this year, offering a significant breakthrough in the fight against the epidemic. The jab, developed by Gilead Sciences, has been hailed as a game-changer and is 100% effective at preventing the virus in clinical studies.
The drug, called lenacapavir, works by preventing the virus from replicating and spreading within the body, reducing the risk of acquiring HIV among adults and adolescents. The European Medicines Agency’s advisory committee has issued a positive opinion on the drug, paving the way for its approval.
This development comes as new cases of HIV are rising in Europe, with over 24,700 diagnoses recorded in 2023 alone. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also approved the drug last month. Gilead expects to sell it under the name Yeytuo, but its availability is uncertain due to reduced funding from the United States.
The approval of lenacapavir has been welcomed by health experts, who believe that a twice-yearly injection could boost efforts to control HIV, which affects 40.8 million people worldwide. Gilead plans to sell generic versions of the drug in lower-income countries with high HIV rates, but the extent of its availability remains unclear.
Source: https://www.euronews.com/health/2025/07/25/eu-regulators-greenlight-twice-yearly-hiv-injection-hailed-as-medical-breakthrough