STAT+: A pricey Gilead HIV drug could be made for dramatically less than the company claims, researchers say
Following the release of widely touted study results for a Gilead Sciences HIV treatment, a new analysis finds the medicine — called lenacapavir — could be made for as little as $26 to $40 per person each year, which the researchers argue could alleviate concerns about limited access in many countries.
The medicine drew considerable attention last month after a late-stage clinical trial found that twice-a-year injections completely protected cisgender women from contracting HIV. None of the 2,134 women who received lenacapavir contracted the virus, while 16 of 1,068 women who received a daily pill called Truvada contracted HIV and 39 of 2,136 women given Descovy, a newer pill, also contracted it.
The results of the trial, which was run in Uganda and South Africa, were lauded as remarkable and caused the trial to be ended early. And if the findings are confirmed in yet another study to be conducted in several more countries, there is anticipation that the Gilead drug — which was approved to treat HIV in late 2022 — could win approval for pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, for HIV.
