Latest news with #GileadSciences'
Bangkok Post
3 days ago
- Health
- Bangkok Post
Stepping up HIV fight
The recent news of Gilead Sciences' groundbreaking new HIV preventative drug, Lenacapavir, offers a beacon of hope in the fight against HIV. With a remarkable 96% efficacy in reducing HIV infection and the convenience of only two injections per year, Lenacapavir holds the potential to be a true game-changer in the global effort to halt the transmission of HIV. Yet for many in developing countries, including Thailand, hope remains distant. Lenacapavir's high cost of about 1.5 million baht per single year, per patient, and limited supply mean fair access is still a pipe dream. While richer nations may benefit soon, others will have to wait, risking serious consequences. That should not be the case for Thailand. Over the last 30 years, Thailand has made great progress in controlling HIV. Thanks to effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), Aids is no longer a deadly disease but something that can be managed. People who follow their treatment can live healthy lives. However, because of this success, many people have become less careful and believe HIV is not a serious problem any more. Such feel-good sentiment can lead to complacency. Figures released recently by the Public Health Ministry warn that in 2025 alone, nearly 9,000 new HIV cases will emerge and more than 10,000 existing patients will die from Aids-related complications. The total number of people living with HIV in Thailand has reached 568,565 cases. Equally alarming is that many new patients are young adults (15–24 years old), who made up half of new patients as of 2022. The surge in sexually transmitted infections like syphilis, which has doubled in prevalence over the past three years, suggests safe-sex campaigns have failed. This resurgence is especially troubling at a time when Thailand is entering a demographic crisis. With birth rates plummeting, projections suggest the population could fall to just 30 million within the next 50 years. Every young person infected by HIV, whether through loss of life or long-term impact on health and productivity, represents a setback to the nation's future. Thailand's public messaging on HIV/Aids has evolved appropriately. Once rooted in fear and stigma, public campaigns now promote acceptance, destigmatisation and long-term management. However, it is important to ensure this progress does not lead to misunderstanding. HIV remains an incurable and life-altering condition. The sharp rise in infections demands that Thailand urgently renew its commitment to preventing new HIV cases. It is crucial to implement sustained, age-appropriate and evidence-based awareness campaigns that prioritise young people. HIV prevention must reclaim its position as a healthcare priority, supported by education and clear messaging on the importance of protection. These campaigns must not only inform about the disease but also promote safe behaviour, regular testing and treatment adherence. Moreover, Thailand must work to ensure future access to game-changing medication like Lenacapavir. No innovation should be a luxury available only to the rich. Thailand was once regarded as a global model for its bold and proactive response to HIV/Aids. That spirit must now be revived to meet with challenge. The virus has not disappeared, and our vigilance must not fade.
Eyewitness News
20-06-2025
- Health
- Eyewitness News
US approves Gilead's twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV
WASHINGTON - The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Gilead Sciences' twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV - a move the company hailed as a major breakthrough in the fight against the sexually transmitted virus. Drugs to prevent HIV transmission, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, have existed for more than a decade. But because they typically require taking a daily pill, they have yet to make a significant dent in global infections. "This is a historic day in the decades-long fight against HIV," Gilead chairman and chief executive Daniel O'Day said in a statement. Lenacapavir, marketed under the brand name Yeztugo, has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 percent in adults and adolescents - making it functionally akin to a powerful vaccine. The company conducted two large clinical trials. The first, involving more than 2,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa, resulted in a 100% reduction in infections and demonstrated superiority over the daily oral pill Truvada. In the second trial, involving over 2,000 men and gender-diverse individuals, only two infections were recorded — a 99.9% prevention rate, again surpassing Truvada. Reported side effects included injection site reactions, headache, and nausea. Results from both trials were published in The New England Journal of Medicine , and the journal Science named lenacapavir its 2024 "Breakthrough of the Year." PRICE CONCERNS DAMPEN HOPE Despite the impressive results, optimism may be tempered by the drug's cost - a list price of $28,218 per year in the United States, Gilead spokesperson Blair Baumwell told AFP in an email Wednesday. An earlier long-acting HIV prevention shot - cabotegravir, which is injected every two months and was approved by the FDA in 2021 - costs tens of thousands of dollars per year and has yet to make a major global impact. Lenacapavir's current list price for its previously approved use as a treatment for HIV is $39,000 annually. Baumwell said the $28,000-plus per year cost for Lenacapavir as a preventive drug is "in line with" those of existing PrEP products and that the company inspects insurers to cover it. "We are working to make Yeztugo accessible for anyone who needs or wants it and expect to see broad insurance coverage," she said in the email. Activists are urging Gilead to drastically cut the price to help end the HIV pandemic. "Even high-income countries will not be able to afford widescale use of lenacapavir at prices above US $20,000 per year," said Andrew Hill of Liverpool University, who led a team of chemists and scientists that found it could be mass-produced and sold for as little as $25 per person per year. "I congratulate Gilead and US partners for advancing this important innovation," added Winnie Byanyima, under-secretary-general of the United Nations. "Lenacapavir could be the tool we need to bring new infections under control - but only if it is priced affordably and made available to everyone who could benefit." In October, Gilead signed agreements with six pharmaceutical companies to produce and distribute generic versions of the drug, pending regulatory approval, in 120 low- and middle-income countries. Because it will take time for those countries to begin production, the company also announced a separate deal in December with the Global Fund - an international partnership established by the United Nations, alongside the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and others - to purchase doses for two million people. However, cuts to the PEPFAR program under President Donald Trump's administration have cast uncertainty over the future of that agreement.
The Hindu
19-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
US approves Gilead's twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV
The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Gilead Sciences' twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV -- a move the company hailed as a major breakthrough in the fight against the sexually transmitted virus. Drugs to prevent HIV transmission, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, have existed for more than a decade. But because they typically require taking a daily pill, they have yet to make a significant dent in global infections. "This is a historic day in the decades-long fight against HIV," Gilead chairman and chief executive Daniel O'Day said in a statement. Lenacapavir, marketed under the brand name Yeztugo, has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 percent in adults and adolescents -- making it functionally akin to a powerful vaccine. The company conducted two large clinical trials. The first, involving more than 2,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa, resulted in a 100 percent reduction in infections and demonstrated superiority over the daily oral pill Truvada. In the second trial, involving over 2,000 men and gender-diverse individuals, only two infections were recorded - a 99.9 percent prevention rate, again surpassing Truvada. Reported side effects included injection site reactions, headache, and nausea. Results from both trials were published in The New England Journal of Medicine, and the journal Science named lenacapavir its 2024 "Breakthrough of the Year." Price concerns dampen hope Despite the impressive results, optimism may be tempered by the drug's cost -- a list price of $28,218 per year in the United States, Gilead spokeswoman Blair Baumwell told AFP in an email Wednesday. An earlier long-acting HIV prevention shot -- cabotegravir, which is injected every two months and was approved by the FDA in 2021 -- costs tens of thousands of dollars per year and has yet to make a major global impact. Lenacapavir's current list price for its previously approved use as a treatment for HIV is $39,000 annually. Baumwell said the $28,000-plus per year cost for Lenacapavir as a preventive drug is "in line with" those of existing PrEP products and that the company inspects insurers to cover it. "We are working to make Yeztugo accessible for anyone who needs or wants it and expect to see broad insurance coverage," she said in the email. Activists are urging Gilead to drastically cut the price to help end the HIV pandemic. "Even high-income countries will not be able to afford widescale use of lenacapavir at prices above US $20,000 per year," said Andrew Hill of Liverpool University, who led a team of chemists and scientists that found it could be mass-produced and sold for as little as $25 per person per year. "I congratulate Gilead and US partners for advancing this important innovation," added Winnie Byanyima, under-secretary-general of the United Nations. "Lenacapavir could be the tool we need to bring new infections under control -- but only if it is priced affordably and made available to everyone who could benefit." In October, Gilead signed agreements with six pharmaceutical companies to produce and distribute generic versions of the drug, pending regulatory approval, in 120 low- and middle-income countries. Because it will take time for those countries to begin production, the company also announced a separate deal in December with the Global Fund -- an international partnership established by the United Nations, alongside the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and others -- to purchase doses for two million people. However, cuts to the PEPFAR program under President Donald Trump's administration have cast uncertainty over the future of that agreement.
Int'l Business Times
18-06-2025
- Health
- Int'l Business Times
US Approves Gilead's Twice-yearly Injection To Prevent HIV
The US Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Gilead Sciences' twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV -- a move the company hailed as a major breakthrough in the fight against the sexually transmitted virus. Drugs to prevent HIV transmission, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, have existed for more than a decade. But because they typically require taking a daily pill, they have yet to make a significant dent in global infections. "This is a historic day in the decades-long fight against HIV," Gilead chairman and chief executive Daniel O'Day said in a statement. Lenacapavir, marketed under the brand name Yeztugo, has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 percent in adults and adolescents -- making it functionally akin to a powerful vaccine. The company conducted two large clinical trials. The first, involving more than 2,000 women in sub-Saharan Africa, resulted in a 100 percent reduction in infections and demonstrated superiority over the daily oral pill Truvada. In the second trial, involving over 2,000 men and gender-diverse individuals, only two infections were recorded -- a 99.9 percent prevention rate, again surpassing Truvada. Reported side effects included injection site reactions, headache, and nausea. Results from both trials were published in The New England Journal of Medicine, and the journal Science named lenacapavir its 2024 "Breakthrough of the Year." Despite the impressive results, optimism may be tempered by the drug's expected high cost. An earlier long-acting HIV prevention shot -- cabotegravir, which is injected every two months and was approved by the FDA in 2021 -- costs tens of thousands of dollars per year and has yet to make a major global impact. While Gilead hasn't disclosed a price for Yeztugo, analysts estimate the US launch cost could reach $25,000 per year. Lenacapavir's current list price for its previously approved use as a treatment for HIV is $39,000 annually, though that is expected to drop when used as a preventive. Activists are urging Gilead to drastically cut the price to help end the HIV pandemic. "Even high-income countries will not be able to afford widescale use of lenacapavir at prices above US $20,000 per year," said Andrew Hill of Liverpool University, who led a team of chemists and scientists that found it could be mass-produced and sold for as little as $25 per person per year. "I congratulate Gilead and US partners for advancing this important innovation," added Winnie Byanyima, under-secretary-general of the United Nations. "Lenacapavir could be the tool we need to bring new infections under control -- but only if it is priced affordably and made available to everyone who could benefit." In October, Gilead signed agreements with six pharmaceutical companies to produce and distribute generic versions of the drug, pending regulatory approval, in 120 low- and middle-income countries. Because it will take time for those countries to begin production, the company also announced a separate deal in December with the Global Fund -- an international partnership established by the United Nations, alongside the US President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and others -- to purchase doses for two million people. However, cuts to the PEPFAR program under President Donald Trump's administration have cast uncertainty over the future of that agreement.
GMA Network
18-06-2025
- Health
- GMA Network
US FDA approves Gilead's twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV
WASHINGTON - The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Wednesday approved Gilead Sciences' twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV, a move the company hailed as a major breakthrough in the fight against the sexually transmitted virus. Drugs to prevent HIV transmission, known as pre-exposure prophylaxis or PrEP, have existed for more than a decade. But because they typically require taking a daily pill, they have struggled to make a significant dent in global infections. "This is a historic day in the decades-long fight against HIV," said Daniel O'Day, Gilead's chairman and chief executive officer, in a statement. Lenacapavir, marketed under the brand name Yeztugo, has been shown in clinical trials to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 percent in adults and adolescents -- making it functionally akin to a powerful vaccine. But optimism may be tempered by the drug's expected eye-watering price tag. While the company has not disclosed specifics, analysts estimate the US launch price could be as high as $25,000 per year. Activists are calling for the price to be slashed to $25 per person annually to help end the HIV pandemic. The approval also comes as President Donald Trump's administration has slashed funding for HIV treatment and prevention programs both overseas and within the United States. — Agence France-Presse
