Scientists Express Cautious Optimism Over New Preventative HIV Treatment and Its Potential Impact

Researchers may have discovered a potent new preventative measure against the AIDS virus, which has claimed over 40 million lives since the epidemic began in 1981.

In late June, a trial of lenacapavir, an existing anti-HIV medication, yielded remarkable results: none of the more than 2,100 young female participants contracted the virus. This outcome surpasses the effectiveness of current drugs used for prevention, such as Truvada, which saw 16 infections out of over 1,000 women, and Descovy, which had 39 infections among more than 2,100 participants, reflecting an infection rate of 1 to 2 percent.

Produced by Gilead Sciences, lenacapavir inhibits the virus's ability to reproduce. Researchers aimed to determine whether administering the drug to sexually active, uninfected individuals—a strategy known as PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis)—could create an inhospitable environment in the body, thereby preventing the virus from establishing an infection.

SOURCE: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/07/beginning-of-end-of-hiv-epidemic-aids-lenacapavir/ 

CREDITS: HARVARD