WHO recommends Gilead's twice-yearly injection lenacapavir for HIV prevention
The recommendation, issued at the International Aids Conference in Kigali, Rwanda, comes nearly a month after the US health regulator approved the drug, giving patients new hope of interrupting virus transmission.
The twice-yearly injectable offers a long-acting alternative to daily oral pills and other shorter-acting options, reshaping the response to the disease especially among those who face challenges with daily adherence, stigma or access to healthcare.
'While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing,' said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
The WHO's recommendations come at a critical moment as HIV prevention efforts stagnate with 1.3-million new HIV infections in 2024 as funding challenges and stigma about the disease persist.
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