Scientists in The Lancet medical journal say that a new once-a-year injection designed to prevent HIV has successfully completed an important early-stage safety trial. Lenacapavir, the drug, prevents the virus from growing inside cells. If subsequent studies are effective, it could be the longest-acting type of pre-exposure pro-active treatment (PrEP), thus revolutionizing the battle against HIV.
Currently, once-a-day oral PrEP pills or injections every eight weeks make up the backbone of HIV prevention. While very effective, it can be hard for some to maintain the frequent pill-taking. But a yearly injection could significantly ease this burden, improve adherence, and allow those at risk to more conveniently receive prevention.
Forty HIV-negative individuals received intramuscular Lenacapavir injections in the study. After 56 weeks, the drug was still present in their system and the study showed no significant side effects or safety concerns. Highlighting the need for future studies involving a more diverse group of individuals, scientists reported their results at the 2025 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. They emphasized the way an annual injection would help eliminate existing barriers to PrEP use, hence improving long-term adherence and access. With an estimated 39.9 million individuals infected with the virus, the majority of whom are in the WHO African Region, HIV remains a major global health issue. Prioritizing access to preventive and treatment options, organizations such as WHO, the Global Fund, and UNAIDS have high ambitions to end the HIV epidemic by 2030.
Senior HIV charity Richard Angell of the Terrence Higgins Trust commented on the development, it was interesting and revolutionary.
He emphasized the importance of increasing preventative measures’ availability more easily while he also accepted the value of daily PrEP in reducing HIV transmission. He also emphasized existing inequalities in availability of PrEP, particularly in settings like community pharmacies and prisons. Although two-monthly PrEP injections have recently been licensed for use in Scotland, English health authorities are currently considering its clearance. Public health officials are urging governments and health care workers to prepare for lenacapavir’s potential availability as researchers continue to test it. If this annual shot works, it could represent a major HIV prevention turning point and allow individuals to stay guarded and thus advance the world closer to an end to the epidemic.
