Overview

• Unitaid, CHAI and Wits RHI partnered with Dr Reddy’s, and the Gates Foundation partnered with Hetero, to produce generic lenacapavir for about $40 per person per year across 120 low- and middle-income countries starting in 2027.
• Lenacapavir is a six‑monthly injectable PrEP shown in large trials to provide near‑complete protection, with WHO recommending its use after regulatory approvals this year.
• Gilead’s branded Yeztugo carries a U.S. list price near $28,000 per year, but the company is supplying no‑profit doses with the Global Fund and PEPFAR to reach roughly 2 million people as a bridge while generics ramp up.
• Advocates warn that many upper‑middle‑income countries, including parts of Latin America such as Brazil, are excluded from the 120‑country licensing footprint, raising concerns over equitable access.
• Early implementation is beginning, with Zimbabwe named among the first countries selected for introduction under initial rollout efforts.