Lenacapavir Named Science's Breakthrough of 2024 for HIV Prevention

Dec 15, 2024, 03:44 PM

The injectable HIV drug lenacapavir has been recognized by the journal 'Science' as the Breakthrough of the Year for 2024. Developed by Gilead Sciences, lenacapavir targets the HIV capsid, a protein shell that protects the virus's genetic material, preventing the virus from replicating within human cells. This drug, administered as a subcutaneous injection every six months, has shown remarkable efficacy in preventing HIV infection, with trials reporting a 100% success rate in African adolescent girls and young women, and a 99.9% effectiveness in gender-diverse individuals. Lenacapavir's unique mechanism of action, as a capsid inhibitor, sets it apart from traditional antiretroviral drugs, offering hope for significantly reducing global HIV infection rates when used as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).