MWE Correspondent
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a groundbreaking recommendation that could reshape the fight against HIV/AIDS: the adoption of lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable drug, as part of HIV prevention strategies worldwide.
Announced during the 13th International AIDS Society Conference in Kigali, Rwanda on July 14, the WHO guidance urges nations to prioritize lenacapavir in their public health toolkits, especially in regions where the virus continues to spread rapidly and where daily medication proves challenging to maintain.
Lenacapavir, branded as Sunlenca for treatment and Yeztu-go for prevention, is a capsid inhibitor — a class of antiretroviral drugs that block HIV at one of its earliest stages: by targeting its structural shell (or capsid). This mechanism prevents the virus from assembling or replicating inside human cells.
Unlike daily PrEP pills, which require strict adherence and frequent resupply, lenacapavir is administered via subcutaneous injection only twice a year. That shift to a long-acting injectable format could dramatically improve adherence rates, particularly in marginalized and high-risk communities.
“This medicine could be a game-changer,” said Dr. Meg Doherty, WHO’s Director of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes. “Its ability to offer six months of protection in a single dose is revolutionary for global HIV prevention efforts.”
The WHO specifically recommends lenacapavir for key populations with heightened vulnerability to HIV infection. These include:
- Adolescent girls and young women, especially in sub-Saharan Africa
- Men who have sex with men (MSM)
- Sex workers
- Transgender individuals
- People who inject drugs (PWID)
All these groups often face significant barriers to healthcare, including stigma, legal discrimination, and logistical constraints.
The newly endorsed regimen is likely to appeal to health ministries and HIV/AIDS organizations that have long struggled with the limitations of daily PrEP. Several African countries—like South Africa, Kenya, and Uganda—are already evaluating how best to incorporate the drug into their national HIV programs.
However, despite the scientific promise, the rollout of lenacapavir will require coordinated efforts in logistics, training, and equitable access. With funding for HIV programs shrinking globally, advocates have called on major donors such as PEPFAR and The Global Fund to step in and support broader access to this new tool.
“We need more than just approval—we need action,” said a UNAIDS program officer based in Nairobi. “It’s not enough for the drug to exist; people must be able to get it.”
The global HIV response has seen significant gains over the past two decades, but the pace has slowed. New infections are still rising in some areas, and vulnerable populations remain underserved. WHO’s endorsement of lenacapavir may help rejuvenate momentum in achieving the ambitious goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
This year’s UNAIDS global progress report shows a decline in HIV-related deaths, but over 1.3 million new infections were recorded last year. That makes innovations like lenacapavir not just helpful—but absolutely necessary.
