09/24/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/24/2025 05:02
Foster City, Calif., Sept. 24, 2025 -As global leaders convene during the United Nations General Assembly to advance global health access, Gilead Sciences is sharing the significant progress the company has made in its global access strategy for lenacapavir for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). This twice-yearly injectable represents a major scientific advancement in the fight against HIV, and Gilead is committed to ensuring it reaches people in high-incidence, resource-limited countries as quickly as possible, if approved.
ACCELERATING ACCESS:Within months of signing royalty-free licensing agreements with six manufacturers to cover 120 primarily low- and lower-middle-income countries (LLMICs) that collectively bear a substantial share of the global HIV burden, Gilead rapidly completed the technology transfers to these voluntary licensing partners, enabling them to begin scaling up manufacturing and supply immediately. Consistent with this strategy put in place well before Phase 3 data were available, Gilead welcomes generic entry into the 120 voluntary license countries as soon as possible, with the support of donor organizations.
PARTNERSHIPS:Newly announced agreements between the Gates Foundation and Gilead's voluntary license partner Hetero, and between the Clinton Health Access Initiative, Unitaid, Wits RHI, and Gilead's voluntary license partner Dr. Reddy's, advance Gilead's commitment to enabling supply of high-quality, low-cost versions of lenacapavir for PrEP in LLMICs at unprecedented speed. Additionally, Gilead recently announced agreements with the U.S. State Department, through PEPFAR, and the Global Fund to rapidly expand access to lenacapavir for PrEP for up to two million people over three years in countries supported by both organizations. Gilead will supply lenacapavir to the organizations at no profit to the company until generics are able to meet demand.
UNPRECEDENTED SPEED:By the end of 2025, Gilead aims to complete regulatory submissions for lenacapavir for PrEP in 18 countries that together represent 70% of the HIV burden across the voluntary license region. Gilead-supplied lenacapavir is expected to reach the first LLMIC before the end of the year, with broader access in 2026. This is the first time a country supported by PEPFAR and the Global Fund is expected to receive access to an innovator company-supplied HIV medicine in the same year it receives regulatory approval in the U.S. and EU.
LOOKING AHEAD:We continue to expand our network of partners and work closely with national programs to support regulatory submissions, health system readiness, and community engagement. We are also investing in implementation science and real-world evidence to help lenacapavir reach those who need it most, in ways that are sustainable and scalable. Our commitment is long-term, and our focus remains on driving meaningful impact in the global HIV response. Updates on our access strategy can be found at https://www.gilead.com.
Lenacapavir for HIV prevention is not approved by any regulatory authority outside of U.S. or EU.
There is currently no cure for HIV or AIDS.
About Lenacapavir
Lenacapavir is approved in multiple countries as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV in adults and adolescents who are at risk of HIV acquisition. Lenacapavir is also approved in multiple countries for the treatment of multi-drug-resistant HIV in adults, in combination with other antiretrovirals.
The multi-stage mechanism of action of lenacapavir is distinguishable from other currently approved classes of antiviral agents. While most antivirals act on just one stage of viral replication, lenacapavir is designed to inhibit HIV at multiple stages of its lifecycle and has no known cross resistance exhibited in vitro to other existing drug classes.
Lenacapavir is being evaluated as a long-acting option in multiple ongoing and planned early and late-stage clinical studies in Gilead's HIV prevention and treatment research program. Lenacapavir is being developed as a foundation for potential future HIV therapies with the goal of offering both long-acting oral and injectable options with several dosing frequencies, in combination or as a mono agent, that help address individual needs and preferences of people and communities affected by HIV. The journal Science named lenacapavir its 2024 "Breakthrough of the Year."
U.S. Indication for Yeztugo®
Yeztugo (lenacapavir) injection, 463.5 mg/1.5 mL, is indicated for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV-1 in adults and adolescents ( ≥ 35kg) who are at risk for HIV-1 acquisition. Individuals must have a negative HIV-1 test prior to initiating Yeztugo.
U.S. Important Safety Information for Yeztugo
BOXED WARNING: RISK OF DRUG RESISTANCE WITH USE OF YEZTUGO IN UNDIAGNOSED HIV-1 INFECTION
Contraindications
Warnings and precautions
Adverse reactions
Drug interactions
Dosage and administration
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that are subject to risks, uncertainties and other factors, including Gilead's ability to initiate, progress and complete clinical trials in the anticipated timelines or at all, and the possibility of unfavorable results from ongoing and additional clinical trials, including those involving lenacapavir; uncertainties relating to regulatory applications and related filing and approval timelines, including regulatory applications for lenacapavir for PrEP, and the risk that any regulatory approvals, if granted, may be subject to significant limitations on use or subject to withdrawal or other adverse actions by the applicable regulatory authority; the possibility that Gilead may make a strategic decision to discontinue development of lenacapavir for indications currently under evaluation and, as a result, lenacapavir may never be successfully commercialized for such indications; Gilead's ability to effectively manage the access strategy relating to lenacapavir, subject to necessary regulatory approvals; Gilead's ability to realize the anticipated benefits from the voluntary licensing arrangements and external partnerships relating to lenacapavir; difficulties or unanticipated expenses in connection with such arrangements and partnerships and the potential effects on Gilead's earnings; and any assumptions underlying any of the foregoing. These and other risks, uncertainties and factors are described in detail in Gilead's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2025, as filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. These risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those referred to in the forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements. The reader is cautioned that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties and is cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to Gilead, and Gilead assumes no obligation and disclaims any intent to update any such forward-looking statements.
U.S. full Prescribing Information for Yeztugo, including Boxed Warning, is available at https://www.gilead.com.
Yeztugo, Gilead and the Gilead logo are registered trademarks of Gilead Sciences, Inc., or its related companies.
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