After months of anticipation, the Food and Drug Administration gave tentative approval to Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories to make a generic version of a groundbreaking HIV prevention medicine, a key step in widening access for dozens of low- and middle-income countries. The company plans to start shipping the medicine next month as part of an effort propelled by several global health organizations to ensure the drug becomes available in lower-income countries as quickly as possible. The annual cost per person will be $40, comparable to daily tablets.
Known as lenacapavir, the injectable drug is widely seen as a game-changing tool for eradicating HIV because it offers virtually complete protection against contracting the virus with just one administration every six months. The brand-name version, known as Yetzugo in the U.S., is marketed by Gilead Sciences and was approved by the FDA last year. This approval could significantly enhance access to HIV prevention in underserved populations.
Source: statnews.com · Image: Aaron Watson 1 (10664624014) by AusAID, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Open the full market picture for your next decision →
