EU approves HIV prevention vaccine: how it works

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) has given a favourable recommendation for the use of a new injectable HIV prevention drug, lencapavir (trade name Yeytuo), developed by Gilead Sciences. The main advantage of this drug is that only two injections a year are enough for effective protection against the virus. About it writes Associated Press.

The agency emphasised that lenkapavir is highly effective and can become an important public health tool. After final approval by the European Commission, the drug will be available in all EU countries, as well as in Iceland, Norway and Liechtenstein.

Clinical trials have confirmed almost 100 per cent protection against HIV infection in both men and women. Lencapavir is already used in HIV therapy, but now it could change the approach to prevention - especially for people who find it difficult to take daily pills or see a doctor regularly.

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima called lencapavir "an opportunity to change the trajectory of the epidemic" if the drug becomes available to everyone who needs it. It had already received FDA approval in the US in June, and the World Health Organization has recommended that countries include it in prevention programmes.

However, the question of availability remains. Gilead has agreed to transfer the licence to make cheaper versions available in 120 high incidence countries, mainly in Africa, Asia and the Caribbean. Latin America, where new cases are also on the rise, has not been included in the programme, alarming experts.

According to UNAIDS, there are more than 40 million people living with HIV worldwide. In 2024, about 630,000 people will die of AIDS.