After 44 years of fighting one of the most devastating epidemics in modern history, the world has just reached a milestone that seemed unattainable. The first drugwith almost 100% effectiveness in preventing HIV was approved.
A medicine that does not require daily tablets or constant monitoring, but only two injections a year, and best of all, it has already begun to be distributed globally with agreements to make it accessible even in low-income countries.
In a scenario where HIV still infects 1.3 million people per year, the impact of this can be absolutely transformative, the drug is called Lenacapavir and was approved in the United States by the FDA under the trade name. It belongs to a new class of antevirals called CAPSIDE inhibitors, what Lenacapavir does is prevent that capsid from detaching and releasing the virus into the host cell and without that the infection simply does not occur, that is, it blocks the process before it even eats.
With this approach, clinical trials showed almost 100% protection against HIV for those who used the medication correctly. What makes Lenacapavir even more revolutionary is its dosing, one injection every 6 months, this eliminates the challenge of daily adherence that many faced and also helps combat the social stigma that still surrounds continued use of antiretrovirals.
Despite the euphoria, the challenges have not disappeared, the biggest obstacle now is not scientific, but logistical and political, it is necessary to guarantee that Lenacapavir reaches those who need it most. marginalized populations, communities affected by stigma and regions where medical infrastructure is still precarious.