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HEALTH CARE
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The world's only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV could stop transmission — if people can get it
A vial of lenacapavir, an injectable HIV prevention drug, at the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation's Masiphumelele Research Site, in Cape Town, South Africa, which was one of the sites for Gilead's lenacapavir drug trial.
Nardus Engelbrecht/Associated Press
The United States has approved the world's only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV, the first step in an anticipated global rollout that could protect millions — although it's unclear how many in the United States and abroad will get access to the powerful new option. While a vaccine to prevent HIV still is needed, some experts say the shot made by Gilead Sciences — a drug called lenacapavir — could be the next best thing. It nearly eliminated new infections in two groundbreaking studies of people at high risk, better than daily preventive pills they can forget to take. Condoms help guard against HIV infection if used properly but what's called PrEP — regularly using preventive medicines such as the daily pills or a different shot given every two months — is increasingly important. Lenacapavir's six-month protection makes it the longest-lasting type, an option that could attract people wary of more frequent doctor visits or stigma from daily pills. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
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DEALS
Nippon Steel completes its acquisition of US Steel
A view of the United States Steel Mon Valley Works Clairton Plant, in Clairton, Pa.
Ted Shaffrey/Associated Press
Nippon Steel has completed its acquisition of US Steel, the companies said Wednesday, more than a year after it was first announced. Soon after Nippon announced its plans to acquire US Steel in December 2023, the company, based in Pennsylvania, a swing state in the presidential election, became part of a game of political football. The powerful United Steelworkers union pushed back against the deal, and President Biden blocked it over national security concerns. Last month, President Donald Trump, who had opposed the deal while he was on the campaign trail, said he had approved a transaction that granted the White House a golden share in the company, giving it extraordinary control over the new company as part of a national security agreement. Trump and the companies have frequently referred to the deal as a partnership over the past several weeks, fueling mystery on Wall Street and in Washington over its nature. — NEW YORK TIMES
SOCIAL MEDIA
Trump will sign an order extending deadline for TikTok's Chinese owner to sell app
The TikTok app page on a smartphone in New York on Jan. 15.
Gabby Jones/Bloomberg
President Trump will sign an executive order this week to extend a deadline for TikTok's Chinese owner to divest the popular video sharing app, the White House announced Tuesday. Trump had signed an order in early April to keep TikTok running for an additional 75 days after a potential deal to sell the app to American owners was put on ice. 'As he has said many times, President Trump does not want TikTok to go dark,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement. 'This extension will last 90 days, which the Administration will spend working to ensure this deal is closed so that the American people can continue to use TikTok with the assurance that their data is safe and secure.' It will be the third time Trump has extended the deadline. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
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LEGAL
Purdue Pharma's $7 billion opioid settlement could advance soon after states back it
OxyContin pills arranged for a photo at a pharmacy in Montpelier, Vt.
Toby Talbot/Associated Press
OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma's latest plan to settle thousands of lawsuits over the toll of opioids could soon move forward after every US state involved agreed to it. A judge on Wednesday said he planned to issue a ruling on Friday on a plan for local governments and individual victims to vote on it. Government entities, emergency room doctors, insurers, families of children born into withdrawal from the powerful prescription painkiller, individual victims and their families, and others would have until Sept. 30 to vote on whether to accept the deal, which calls for members of the Sackler family who own the company to pay up to $7 billion over 15 years. The settlement is a way to avoid trials with claims from states alone that total more than $2 trillion in damages. Thousands of local governments and other groups have also sued Purdue. If approved, the settlement would be among the largest in a wave of lawsuits over the past decade as governments and others sought to hold drugmakers, wholesalers, and pharmacies accountable for the opioid epidemic that started rising in the years after OxyContin hit the market in 1996. The other settlements together are worth about $50 billion, and most of the money is to be used to combat the crisis. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
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TECH
WhatsApp denies Iran's claim that it is spying for Israel
A WhatsApp icon is displayed on an iPhone.
Martin Meissner/Associated Press
Iran's state broadcaster Tuesday urged people to remove WhatsApp from their phones, claiming that the messaging app was collecting user information and sending it to Israel as the two countries trade military strikes. 'WhatsApp and Instagram are collecting information about individuals and are providing the Zionist enemy with their last known location and communications, tagged with the names of individuals,' the Iranian state television network said, referring to Israel. It did not provide evidence for its claims. WhatsApp, in a statement Tuesday, said the allegations were false. 'We're concerned these false reports will be an excuse for our services to be blocked at a time when people need them the most,' the statement said. 'All of the messages you send to family and friends on WhatsApp are end-to-end encrypted, meaning no one except the sender and recipient has access to those messages, not even WhatsApp.' — NEW YORK TIMES
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Amazon CEO Jassy says AI will reduce its corporate workforce in the next few years
Andy Jassy, chief executive officer of Amazon.com Inc., at an event in New York on Feb. 26.
Michael Nagle/Bloomberg
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy anticipates generative artificial intelligence will reduce its corporate workforce in the next few years as the online giant begins to increase its usage of the technology. 'We will need fewer people doing some of the jobs that are being done today, and more people doing other types of jobs,' Jassy said in a message to employees. 'It's hard to know exactly where this nets out over time, but in the next few years, we expect that this will reduce our total corporate workforce as we get efficiency gains from using AI extensively across the company.' — ASSOCIATED PRESS
AUTOMOTIVE
Honda recalls more than 259,000 cars across the US due to brake pedal issue
The Honda logo.
Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
Honda is recalling more than 259,000 of its cars across the United States due to a problem that can cause the brake pedal to shift out of position, potentially interfering with a driver's ability to stop or slow down. According to documents published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall covers certain Honda Pilots between model years 2023 and 2025 — as well cars under the automaker's luxury Acura brand: 2021-2025 Acura TLX and 2023-2025 Acura MDX vehicles. As a remedy, Honda says authorized dealers will inspect the vehicles covered by this recall and replace the brake pedal assembly if necessary, free of charge. Per the NHTSA's report, the company estimates 1 percent of these vehicles have this issue. — ASSOCIATED PRESS
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AVIATION
Families of 737 crash victims urge rejection of Boeing deal
Family members of victims of the Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 737 MAX 8 crash held a sign as President and CEO of Boeing Kelly Ortberg testified before the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee on April 2 in Washington, D.C.
Win McNamee/Getty
Family members of people killed in two fatal crashes of Boeing Co.'s 737 Max jets urged a federal judge to reject a proposed deal the company reached with US prosecutors that would allow the planemaker to avoid a criminal charge. Lawyers for 15 families argued Boeing should stand trial for criminal conspiracy as the government had originally planned, to hold the company more accountable for the deaths of 346 people, according to a court filing Wednesday. The US Justice Department in May asked US District Judge Reed O'Connor in Fort Worth to dismiss the case as part of a proposed settlement reached with Boeing. Under the deal, the planemaker agreed to pay more than $1.1 billion in fees and fines, while taking steps to strengthen internal quality and safety measures. In return, the company will avoid criminal prosecution. — BLOOMBERG NEWS
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Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Gilead's twice-yearly HIV prevention injection gets FDA approval
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Gilead's (GILD) new HIV prevention drug. The drug, lenacapavir, only requires an injection every 6 months. Yahoo Finance Healthcare Reporter Anjalee Khemlani reports the details. To watch more expert insights and analysis on the latest market action, check out more Market Domination Overtime here. What's a big milestone for Gilead Sciences today. The Biotech Giant securing FDA approval for its latest HIV treatment. It's a significant step forward for that company and patients. Gilead also seeing a boost on that news. Our senior health reporter Anjali kamlani joins us now. Au, what is what is the big takeaway for for investors watching all this? Yeah, I think the big takeaway here is that investors have actually been waiting for this approval. They anticipate quick uptake and a high volume of uptake of this drug used as a pre-exposure prophylaxis, you know, prep as the common acronym for those types of drugs. Now, Gilead already has discovy for that, but the difference here is that this new use or new approval for Lenca Paviar, it is a twice yearly injectable. And that is the difference between the regular oral and this new approval. And so that is really going to help boost Gilead's revenues for the year. We know that already Lenca Paviar brings in about $60 million for the company, and they're anticipating that that will get boosted to about $150 to $195 million in revenue for the company for the year. That's the estimate that analysts are expecting with the approval, and they've been waiting for this approval for quite some time. So really good news. You can see that, you know, the stock is benefiting from this right now and is supposed to be a game changer for those patients. There are some questions about whether or not being a twice yearly drug, it will be more expensive than say a daily oral. And so that is something that Gilead has tried to addressing that they plan to have a insurance and non-insurance access point for patients as well. Thanks so much for joining us on this. Appreciate it. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
The Hill
4 hours ago
- The Hill
The world's only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV could stop transmission — if people can get it
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. has approved the world's only twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV, the first step in an anticipated global rollout that could protect millions – although it's unclear how many in the U.S. and abroad will get access to the powerful new option. While a vaccine to prevent HIV still is needed, some experts say the shot made by Gilead Sciences — a drug called lenacapavir — could be the next best thing. It nearly eliminated new infections in two groundbreaking studies of people at high risk, better than daily preventive pills they can forget to take. 'This really has the possibility of ending HIV transmission,' said Greg Millett, public policy director at amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research. Condoms help guard against HIV infection if used properly but what's called PrEP — regularly using preventive medicines such as the daily pills or a different shot given every two months — is increasingly important. Lenacapavir's six-month protection makes it the longest-lasting type, an option that could attract people wary of more frequent doctor visits or stigma from daily pills. But upheaval in U.S. healthcare — including cuts to public health agencies and Medicaid — and slashing of American foreign aid to fight HIV are clouding the prospects. Millett said 'gaping holes in the system' in the U.S. and globally 'are going to make it difficult for us to make sure we not only get lenacapavir into people's bodies but make sure they come back' twice a year to keep up their protection. Gilead's drug already is sold to treat HIV under the brand name Sunlenca. The prevention dose will be sold under a different name, Yeztugo. It's given as two injections under the skin of the abdomen, leaving a small 'depot' of medication to slowly absorb into the body. People must test negative for HIV before getting their twice-a-year dose, Gilead warned. It only prevents HIV transmission — it doesn't block other sexually transmitted diseases. Some researchers who helped test the shot advise cold packs to counter injection-site pain. Global efforts at ending the HIV pandemic by 2030 have stalled. There still are more than 30,000 new infections in the U.S. each year and about 1.3 million worldwide. Only about 400,000 Americans already use some form of PrEP, a fraction of those estimated to benefit. A recent study found states with high use of PrEP saw a decrease in HIV infections, while rates continued rising elsewhere. About half of new infections are in women, who often need protection they can use without a partner's knowledge or consent. One rigorous study in South Africa and Uganda compared more than 5,300 sexually active young women and teen girls given twice-yearly lenacapavir or the daily pills. There were no HIV infections in those receiving the shot while about 2% in the comparison group caught HIV from infected sex partners. A second study found the twice-yearly shot nearly as effective in gay men and gender-nonconforming people in the U.S. and in several other countries hard-hit by HIV. Ian Haddock of Houston had tried PrEP off and on since 2015 but he jumped at the chance to participate in the lenacapavir study and continues with the twice-yearly shots as part of the research follow-up. 'Now I forget that I'm on PrEP because I don't have to carry around a pill bottle,' said Haddock, who leads the Normal Anomaly Initiative, a nonprofit serving Black LGBTQ+ communities. 'Men, women, gay, straight – it really just kinds of expands the opportunity for prevention,' he added. Just remembering a clinic visit every six months 'is a powerful tool versus constantly having to talk about, like, condoms, constantly making sure you're taking your pill every day.' Gilead said the U.S. list price, meaning before insurance, is $28,218 a year, which it called similar to some other PrEP options. The company said it anticipated insurance coverage but also has some financial assistance programs. Most private insurers are supposed to cover PrEP options without a co-pay although the Supreme Court is considering a case that could overturn that requirement. Congress also is considering huge cuts to Medicaid. And while community health centers still are an option, the Trump administration has largely dismantled HIV prevention work at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that would normally get the message to vulnerable populations who'd qualify for the shot, said Carl Schmid of the nonprofit HIV+Hepatitis Policy Institute. Schmid worries the shot won't meet its potential because 'we're basically pulling the rug out of HIV prevention and testing and outreach programs.' Gilead also has applications pending for the twice-yearly shot in other countries. Last fall, the company signed agreements with six generic drug makers to produce low-cost versions of the shot for 120 poor countries mostly in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Caribbean. Gilead plans to make enough shots to supply 2 million people in those countries, at no profit, until the generics are available, said company senior vice president Dr. Jared Baeten. Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, said in a statement the price is still too high. If it's unaffordable, she said, 'it will change nothing.' And HIV experts worry the arrangements Gilead has made to reduce costs in some countries leave out middle-income countries like some in Latin America. 'Everyone in every country who's at risk of HIV needs access to PrEP,' said Dr. Gordon Crofoot of Houston, who helped lead the study in men. 'We need to get easier access to PrEP that's highly effective like this is.' ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Epoch Times
5 hours ago
- Epoch Times
FDA Approves HIV-Prevention Drug That Nearly Eliminated the Virus's Spread in Clinical Trials
Gilead Sciences announced June 18 that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved its twice-a-year shot to prevent HIV, with company executives touting the medication as a 'very real opportunity' at ending the HIV epidemic. In a
