Ray of hope for HIV patients, as Hyderabad-based pharma giants secure nod for game-changing HIV drug

Indian firms have secured rights to produce Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly HIV injection, making treatment easier and affordable. This new drug promises better adherence and wider access, especially in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, helping India fight HIV and move closer to ending AIDS

Hyderabad: In a ray of hope for HIV patients, particularly for the significant burden in the two-Telugu speaking States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, several India pharmaceutical companies have secured green light to manufacture Lenacapavir, a ground-breaking drug, administered as injection just twice a year, offering a promising alternative for management of the disease.

The HIV drug Lenacapavir, originally developed by Gilead Sciences and marketed as Sunlenca, offers a new weapon in the fight against HIV for Indian patients. They will no longer have to worry about the complexities of taking oral pills and the difficulties in adhering to the strict anti-retroviral therapy.

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A few days ago, Gilead received USFDA approval for Yeztugo (lenacapavir) for twice-yearly use to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV. Gilead has also granted permission to Hyderabad-based Dr Reddy’s Laboratories and Hetero Healthcare, Pune-based Emcure Pharmaceuticals and Mylan, through non-exclusive, royalty-free voluntary licensing agreements.

Dr Ishwar Gilada, the president Emeritus of the AIDS Society of India (ASI), has been quoted by several news agencies on the significance of this development. “The voluntary licenses give hope that the medicine may cost less than 100 US dollars, which is 0.3 percent of the innovator’s cost. India needs to lead from the front for lenacapavir’s equitable and timely distribution at the required scale to prevent HIV transmission and help end AIDS,” he said.

Based on the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO) data (2021 data), an estimated 24 lakh people are living with HIV in India. In Telangana, there are about 1.3 to 1.5 lakh persons with HIV, while Andhra Pradesh accounts for around 3.2 lakh patients.

An interesting feature of this drug is its twice-yearly injection dosing schedule after the initial oral loading dose. This is a leap forward from daily oral pills that have been a standard for management of HIV for decades.

Sector experts said the generic versions of this drug, to be manufactured by Indian companies, will significantly lower the price of Lenacapavir, ensuring its wider reach among rural and urban populations.