The U.S. government has made a deal with lenacapavir producer Gilead to purchase the HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis drug and distribute it through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2026, according to a press release from the Department of State.
PEPFAR will distribute lenacapavir (Yeztugo) in eight to 12 high-burden HIV countries in 2026. The State Department said distribution will be prioritized to countries with both high HIV burden and infrastructure to distribute the medication. The department also noted that priority administration would go to pregnant and breastfeeding people.
The commitment is part of a larger effort from the U.S. government, along with the Global Fund, to fund the purchase of lenacapavir for up to 2 million people by 2028. Gilead has agreed to sell the drug at cost and work with generic manufacturers to provide lenacapavir at scale, so that governments will be able to purchase the drug and continue distribution locally.
Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor FDA approved for PrEP in June, is a WHO-recommended medication for HIV prevention. Data from phase 3 trials that led to its approval found the drug reduced HIV infections by 96% compared with background HIV incidence.
