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WHO announces lenacapavir as a groundbreaking HIV prevention method

IOL News

4 days ago

Health
IOL News

WHO announces lenacapavir as a groundbreaking HIV prevention method

WHO announced a groundbreaking HIV preventative measure Image: Supplied The World Health Organization (WHO) announced a landmark policy at the 13th International AIDS Society Conference (IAS 2025) on HIV Science in Kigali, Rwanda, releasing new guidelines that recommend injectable lenacapavir (LEN) as a twice-yearly pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for HIV prevention. This development has the potential to significantly reshape the global HIV response. LEN is the first twice-yearly injectable PrEP product, offering a highly effective, long-acting alternative to daily oral pills and shorter-acting prevention methods. With just two doses a year, LEN marks a transformative step in HIV prevention, particularly for individuals who face challenges with daily adherence, stigma, or limited access to health care. 'While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. 'The launch of WHO's new guidelines, alongside the FDA's recent approval, marks a critical step forward in expanding access to this powerful tool. WHO is committed to working with countries and partners to ensure this innovation reaches communities as quickly and safely as possible.' The new guidelines come at a pivotal time, as global HIV prevention efforts have stalled, with 1.3 million new infections recorded in 2024. Key and priority populations — including sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender individuals, people who inject drugs, those in prisons, as well as children and adolescents — continue to be disproportionately affected. WHO's endorsement of LEN marks a significant step toward broadening and diversifying HIV prevention strategies, empowering people with more choices to protect their health in ways that align with their needs and circumstances. WHO has recommended a simpler, more accessible approach to HIV testing using rapid tests to support the rollout of long-acting injectable PrEP like LEN and CAB-LA. This change removes a major barrier by cutting out complex, expensive procedures and allowing delivery through local clinics, pharmacies, and tele-health. LEN now joins other WHO-approved HIV prevention options — including daily oral PrEP, injectable cabotegravir, and the dapivirine vaginal ring. Although access to LEN outside clinical trials is still limited, WHO is calling on governments and health partners to begin implementing it within national HIV prevention programmes while gathering data on its real-world use and impact. For the first time, WHO now recommends long-acting injectable cabotegravir and rilpivirine (CAB/RPV) as an option for adults and adolescents who are already virally suppressed on oral antiretroviral therapy (ART) and don't have hepatitis B. This is especially helpful for people who struggle with daily pill-taking. WHO also updated its guidance on integrating HIV care with other health services, such as treating high blood pressure, diabetes, mental health conditions (like depression, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders), and improving ART adherence. The organisation now recommends STI screening (gonorrhoea and chlamydia) for key and priority populations, even when no symptoms are present. For people living with HIV who have or are at risk of mpox (formerly monkeypox), WHO strongly recommends starting ART quickly, especially if they've never started treatment or have had long interruptions. HIV and syphilis testing is also advised for anyone with suspected or confirmed mpox. Given funding challenges facing global HIV programmes, WHO released new guidance to help countries maintain essential HIV services. This includes advice on how to prioritise services, manage risks, and keep health systems resilient. Dr Meg Doherty, WHO's HIV programme director, emphasised the urgency of acting on these guidelines: 'We have the tools and the knowledge to end AIDS as a public health problem. What we need now is bold implementation of these recommendations, grounded in equity and powered by communities.' HIV continues to be a major public health issue, with an estimated 40.8 million people living with the virus globally by the end of 2024. While treatment access is growing — 31.6 million people are now on ART — new infections and deaths remain high, particularly in the WHO African Region. With these updated guidelines, WHO said it is offering countries practical tools to make HIV responses more efficient, equitable, and sustainable. The focus now shifts to putting these strategies into action. [email protected] Weekend Argus

WHO approves injectable HIV drug lenacapavir for high-risk communities

Business Standard

4 days ago

Health
Business Standard

WHO approves injectable HIV drug lenacapavir for high-risk communities

Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis, has been recommended by the WHO to help protect high-risk groups, as global HIV prevention efforts face funding setbacks Apexa Rai New Delhi The World Health Organization (WHO) has released updated guidelines to strengthen global HIV prevention efforts, recommending the use of lenacapavir — a newly approved, long-acting antiretroviral — for high-risk groups and in regions with high infection rates. The recommendation was announced on 14 July at the 13th International AIDS Society Conference (IAS 2025) held in Kigali, Rwanda. It marks a milestone in HIV prevention, following the recent approval of lenacapavir by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a twice-yearly injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) treatment. Initially approved in 2022 for treating HIV, lenacapavir demonstrated strong efficacy in prevention trials, offering near-complete protection against infection. The drug has now become a central pillar of WHO's revised prevention strategy. What is Lenacapavir? Lenacapavir (LEN) is a long-acting HIV medicine developed by New Delhi-based Gilead Sciences. It belongs to a new class of drugs known as capsid inhibitors, which work by disrupting multiple stages in the HIV replication cycle. Approved for treatment in 2022 and prevention in 2024, LEN is the first PrEP injection that can be administered just twice a year. This long-acting injectable offers a powerful alternative to daily oral pills and other shorter-acting methods. With only two doses annually, LEN could be transformative, particularly for individuals facing challenges related to daily adherence, healthcare access, or stigma. WHO supports LEN usage against AIDS 'While an HIV vaccine is still elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk,' said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. 'The launch of WHO's new guidelines, alongside the FDA's recent approval, marks a critical step forward in expanding access to this powerful tool,' he said. He further reiterated WHO's commitment to working with countries and partners to ensure this innovation reaches communities as quickly and safely as possible WHO's endorsement of LEN reflects a shift towards expanding and diversifying prevention tools in order to give individuals better choices. Challenges ahead in HIV prevention Seeking simplified access through rapid testing As part of the updated approach, WHO has also recommended a public health model that incorporates simplified HIV testing using rapid diagnostic kits. This will support broader access to long-acting injectable PrEP options such as lenacapavir and cabotegravir (CAB-LA). It will also facilitate community-based delivery via pharmacies, clinics and telehealth platforms. Funding concerns as Trump cuts aid The release of these guidelines coincides with growing concern over declining international aid for HIV programmes. According to the United Nations, around 80 per cent of prevention funding in low- and middle-income countries comes from foreign assistance. In recent months, the United States has sharply reduced its support, including funding for the US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) — the largest commitment ever made by any nation towards tackling a single disease. The impact of these cuts is already evident. In Nigeria, for instance, the number of people receiving PrEP dropped from roughly 40,000 late last year to fewer than 7,000 in April 2025, according to UNAIDS data. A recent United Nations report warned that millions more could die of HIV-related causes by 2029 if current funding levels are not restored. Although 25 of 60 low- and middle-income countries surveyed intend to raise their domestic HIV budgets in the coming year, the report cautioned that these increases are unlikely to fully compensate for lost international support. Gilead Science shows hope amid setbacks In a promising development, Gilead Sciences announced an agreement with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria to supply lenacapavir at cost, with no profit margin. This pricing model reflects only the cost of production and delivery, CNN reported. In the United States — currently the only country where lenacapavir is approved for prevention — the drug carries an annual list price of $28,218, a figure comparable to existing PrEP treatments, according to the company.

WHO Urges Rollout Of First Long-Acting HIV Prevention Jab

Scoop

5 days ago

Health
Scoop

WHO Urges Rollout Of First Long-Acting HIV Prevention Jab

14 July 2025 Injectable lenacapavir – LEN, for short – is a highly effective, long-acting antiretroviral alternative to daily oral pills and other shorter-acting options, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). 'While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk,' said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. Test kit advantage WHO's support for the injectable drug is significant because HIV prevention efforts are stagnating around the world. To make it easier for people to receive the injection close to home, the UN agency also recommends the use of rapid testing kits for the disease, as opposed to 'complex, costly procedures'. According to the agency, 1.3 million people contracted HIV in 2024; people most impacted were sex workers, men who have sex with men, transgender people, people who inject drugs, people in prisons, and children and teens. 'WHO is committed to working with countries and partners to ensure this innovation reaches communities as quickly and safely as possible,' insisted Tedros, in comments during the 13th International AIDS Society Conference (IAS 2025) on HIV Science, in Kigali, Rwanda. The recommendation for LEN is also in line with the US health authorities which approved it in June. Call for implementation Although access to the LEN injection remains limited outside clinical trials today, WHO urged governments, donors and partners to incorporate LEN 'immediately' within national combination HIV-prevention programmes. Other WHO-supported HIV-prevention options include daily oral tablets, injectable cabotegravir – which is injected once every two months – and the dapivirine vaginal ring, as part of a growing number of tools to end the HIV epidemic. Funding dilemma Amid massive funding cuts to the global effort to end HIV-AIDS – including the leading US Government programme launched in 2003, PEPFAR, focusing on combating the disease in Africa - WHO also issued new operational guidance on how to sustain priority HIV services. 'We have the tools and the knowledge to end AIDS…what we need now is bold implementation of these recommendations, grounded in equity and powered by communities,' said DrMeg Doherty, Director of WHO's Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes and incoming Director of Science, Research, Evidence and Quality for Health. HIV remains a major global public health issue. By the end of 2024, an estimated 40.8 million people were living with HIV with an estimated 65 per cent in Africa. Approximately 630,000 people died from HIV-related causes globally, and an estimated 1.3 million people acquired HIV, including 120,000 children. More positively, access to HIV drugs continues to expand, with 31.6 million people receiving treatment in 2024, up from 30.3 million a year earlier. Without anti-retroviral medication, the HIV virus attacks the body's immune system, leading ultimately to the onset of AIDS.