FDA approved long-term infusion to prevent HIV

US food The Drug Administration has just approved Renacapavir, an injectable form of HIV Prevention is almost 100% effective, and only requires two doses per year. Science The magazine explained about medicines Most important scientific advances 2024.
Clinical trials have shown that lenacapavir is 99.9% effective in preventing HIV infection through sexually transmitted people over 35 kilograms. This antiretroviral drug works by blocking early reproduction, not stimulating an immune response, but by destroying the function of the virus’s capsid proteins. This happens as long as your body receives injections every six months.
Renacapavir has already been approved in some countries for the treatment of HIV in people with forms of the virus that are resistant to other treatments. However, prior to this week, its preventive use had not been approved anywhere, making the FDA’s decision a significant new development in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
This drug is not the first medicine you can take preemptively to protect against HIV infection. Pre-exposure prevention (PREP) pills were already available in many countries, including the United States. But these need to be taken every day and ensure continuous access to these medications, and people remember to actually take them, It’s a known issue. The long-term effects of Renacapavir are expected to make it easier for people to remain protected from the virus.
According to its creator, Gilead Science, the Renacapaville will be sold under the product name Yeztugo. The company has pledged to manufacture 10 million doses by 2026.
“This is a historic day of decades-long battle with HIV. Yeztugo is one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of our time, offering a very realistic opportunity to end the HIV outbreak,” said Daniel O’day, president and CEO of Gilead. statement on wednesday.
However, prices in the Renacapaville could be a barrier to access. Yeztugo has a annual list price of $28,218 per person in the US. He also has Winnie Byanyima, executive director of the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) It was flagged in the past This drug is affordable for many people in Africa where the drug can have the greatest impact. Approximately two-thirds Of the people living with HIV around the world, they live in sub-Saharan Africa.
Gilead said in a Last year’s statement The fact that “we were developing a strategy to enable global and broad and sustainable access” to Renacapaville has yet to provide detailed information on how the company will do this. One option could be a “voluntary license.” In this case, other companies are given permission to produce and sell common versions of patented products only to people in certain (often low-income) countries. Researcher at the University of Liverpool in the UK I calculated it You can make a year’s worth of Renacapa Building available for just $25.
This story originally appeared Wired enspaƱol Translated from Spanish.