Unitaid and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have announced major partnerships to deliver affordable generic versions of lenacapavir, a groundbreaking twice-yearly injection proven to cut the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 percent.
Currently marketed in the United States under the brand name Yeztugo by Gilead Sciences at around $28,000 per year, the drug will be made available at just $40 annually across 120 low- and middle-income countries beginning in 2027.
Unitaid confirmed Wednesday that it had partnered with Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and Wits RHI to roll out the affordable version. The initial manufacturing will take place in India, with future plans for regional production.
“This product can help us end HIV,” said Carmen Perez Casas, Unitaid’s strategic lead for HIV. “Cheaper generics are really critical for the scale-up of prevention.”
The Gates Foundation also unveiled a parallel deal with Indian pharmaceutical company Hetero, reinforcing global efforts to accelerate access.
“Scientific advances like lenacapavir can help us end the HIV epidemic, if they are made accessible to people who can benefit the most,” said Trevor Mundel, the foundation’s head of global health.
The move follows Gilead’s 2024 licensing deals with six generic drugmakers to produce the world’s first long-acting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for use in poorer countries.
While generics are expected from 2027, an interim agreement between Gilead and the Global Fund, backed by Washington, will ensure affordable access to lenacapavir in low-income countries, with the first units set to reach at least one African nation by the end of this year.
UNAIDS data shows progress in fighting HIV, with new infections down 40 percent since 2010, yet 1.3 million people contracted the virus in 2024, underlining the urgency of scaling up prevention.
