Unlike daily oral PrEP, which requires strict routine compliance, Lenacapavir is administered twice a year by a trained health professional.
The antibody blocks a site where the virus binds to cells when it infects a person. It therefore prevents HIV from entering the body’s cells.
Women remain disproportionately affected, accounting for nearly two-thirds of new infections—13,236 cases compared to 6,869 among men.
The revolutionary drug, lenacapavir, will be available through a partnership between the Gates Foundation and Indian pharmaceutical manufacturer Hetero Labs,
The Global Fund plans to supply at least 2 million doses globally, primarily targeting sub-Saharan Africa where HIV incidence remains highest.
Users take pills for a short period—either two weeks before the injection or for the first days after—to ensure protection while the injection begins working.
