Statement from Mike Podmore, CEO, STOPAIDS, in response to this week’s announcement from Unitaid that HIV prevention tool, injectable lenacapavir, will be available at a cost of US$40 a year in 120 low- and middle-income countries starting in 2027. The development is thanks to a new partnership between Unitaid, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI), and Wits RHI.
Mike Podmore, CEO, STOPAIDS, said: “STOPAIDS celebrates this landmark announcement from Unitaid, securing a breakthrough pricing agreement for the twice-yearly long-acting injectable, lenacapavir. The deal marks a major step forward in accelerating access to one of the most promising HIV prevention tools to date.
“Working strategically with partners, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and Wits RHI, over recent months, Unitaid has brokered an agreement with Dr. Reddy’s, one of the generic manufacturers holding a voluntary licence from Gilead, to make lenacapavir available for just US$40 per person per year; achieving price parity with oral PrEP. This outcome was secured through a competitive process under the Unitaid-supported grant with Wits RHI and CHAI, and is part of a wider multi-partner, multi-supplier strategy to ensure a competitive and sustainable market for long-acting HIV prevention. In parallel, the Gates Foundation has also today announced their own agreement with Hetero Labs to introduce lenacapavir, reinforcing the momentum to expand access.
“Thanks to Unitaid’s leadership, generic lenacapavir is expected to become available at this reduced price by early 2027, pending regulatory approvals. That is less than two years after the originator product’s first regulatory approval and WHO’s recommendation for its use in HIV prevention. This rapid timeline represents an unprecedented opportunity to transform access.
“However, while this is a remarkable milestone, Gilead’s voluntary licence for lenacapavir still excludes 26 middle-income countries where more than 1 in 4 new HIV acquisitions occur. Gilead’s profit first approach in middle-income countries will leave millions without affordable access. We urge Gilead to expand the licence so that all excluded countries and territories can benefit from this lifesaving innovation.
“Today’s announcement clearly demonstrates the critical role Unitaid, along with critical partners, plays in breaking down access barriers, creating affordable markets, and accelerating the integration of innovative products into HIV prevention programmes. This success must not go unsupported.
“In light of this announcement, STOPAIDS calls on the UK government to reverse its retreat from development funding and, honouring its prioritisation of global health, step up its support key institutions like Unitaid and the Global Fund that underpin the HIV response at this pivotal moment. With sustainable investment, we can ensure that lenacapavir and other groundbreaking innovations can be scaled to deliver on their incredible promise: expanding choice in HIV prevention, empowering people to select the PrEP option that works best for them and even achieving the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”