Lenacapavir:
Zimbabwe has begun rolling out lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable HIV prevention medicine.
- It is the new long-acting injectable HIV-prevention drug.
- It is the first twice-yearly injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV, offering a highly effective, long-acting alternative to daily oral pills.
- PrEP is a medication that can reduce the risk of HIV infection for individuals who are HIV-negative but are at risk of contracting the virus.
- The results of two key studies have shown that it helps prevent 99.9 per cent of all HIV transmission.
- It is developed by Gilead Sciences and marketed under the brand name Yeztugo.
- Lenacapavir is a capsid inhibitor, a class of drugs that blocks the protein shell (capsid) the HIV virus needs to replicate.
- Unlike oral PrEP pills that must be taken daily, lenacapavir is administered as an injection once every six months, providing a discreet and highly effective method of prevention.
