Revolutionary ‘vaccine-like’ HIV drug could cost just $40, say researchers

A groundbreaking “vaccine-like” HIV drug, currently priced at over $40,000 per person annually, could be produced for as little as $40, researchers announced on Tuesday.

Lenacapavir, an antiretroviral drug developed by US pharmaceutical giant Gilead, is being hailed as a potential game-changer in the global fight against HIV.

Early trials have demonstrated that the treatment is 100 per cent effective in preventing HIV infection. Remarkably, it requires only biannual injections, significantly simplifying administration compared to the current daily pill regimens.

Simplified Treatment with Promising Results

“It’s akin to having a vaccine,” Andrew Hill, a researcher at Liverpool University in the UK, told AFP.

Currently, the treatment costs patients over $40,000 annually in countries including the United States, France, Norway, and Australia. However, new research presented by Hill at the International AIDS Conference in Munich suggests that if Gilead allowed for the production of cheaper generic versions, the drug’s cost could plummet to just $40 per year — a thousand times less than its current price.

Potential to Control the HIV Epidemic

This estimated cost reduction is based on production volumes capable of treating 10 million people. Hill emphasised that if the drug were provided to high-risk groups — such as gay or bisexual men, sex workers, prisoners, and notably young women in Africa — it could virtually eliminate HIV transmission.

“We could effectively control the epidemic,” Hill stated.

Also Read: UK indicted for infecting thousands with HIV, hepatitis in ‘deadliest NHS disaster’

According to the World Health Organisation, there were 1.3 million new HIV infections last year, with 39 million people currently living with the virus.

‘A Chance to Save the World’

To determine the potential cost reduction, researchers analysed shipments of the drug’s raw materials and consulted with large generic manufacturers in China and India that already produce its essential components, Hill explained.

The international team has a proven track record with similar cost estimates. A decade ago, they predicted that Gilead’s hepatitis C drug, initially priced at $84,000 per patient, could be made for $100 if generics were allowed. Today, curing hepatitis C costs just under $40.

Also Read: 2021: The Year of the Vaccine

The announcement coincided with a call from UNAIDS chief Winnie Byanyima, urging Gilead to “make history” by including Lenacapavir in the UN-backed Medicines Patent Pool.

This would permit the sale of generics under licence in low- and middle-income nations.

“Gilead has an opportunity to save the world,” Byanyima told AFP.

Gilead has previously stated that it is in discussions with governments and organisations to achieve its access goals. However, the company has not disclosed pricing details for developing countries or which nations might eventually gain access to generic versions of the drug.

Subscribe to Notifications