A new injectable drug, lenacapavir, has been recommended by the European Medicines Agency for use in preventing HIV transmission. If approved, it would be available in all 27 EU member countries as well as Iceland, Norway, and Liechtenstein.
Studies have shown that lenacapavir is nearly 100% effective in stopping transmission in both women and men. This could help change the trajectory of the HIV epidemic if made widely available.
The US FDA has already authorized lenacapavir for prevention, and the World Health Organization recommends it as an additional option for people at risk of HIV. The six-month protection offered by lenacapavir makes it a long-term solution that could attract those wary of daily pills or more frequent clinic visits.
However, critics have raised concerns that lenacapavir may not reach all parts of the world, particularly in Latin America where rates are lower but increasing. Gilead Sciences has committed to making cheap generic versions available in 120 poor countries with high HIV rates, but this could be insufficient to stop global outbreaks.
The UN estimates that there were approximately 630,000 AIDS deaths worldwide last year and over 40 million people living with HIV. A deal between President Trump and Gilead to make lenacapavir widely available has been suggested by UNAIDS chief Winnie Byanyima as a potential solution to the global HIV crisis.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/hiv-drug-injectable-ema-europe-approval-6c60e9dc07776af2af88ee121e015e2b