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Breakthrough HIV drug Lenacapavir Shows promising results in recent study

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Published  August 16, 2024 11:41pm EDT
Health
FOX 5 Atlanta

New HIV drug could be a gamechanger, study shows

A promising new drug could help in the fight against HIV in metro Atlanta. The region has one of the highest rates in the world. A recent study shows the new injectable drug blocked the spread of HIV in everyone who took part.

ATLANTA - A promising new drug could help in the fight against HIV. Metro Atlanta has one of the highest HIV rates in the world. A recent study shows the new injectable drug blocked the spread of HIV in everyone who took part. 

The drug is called Lenacapavir and is an injection received twice a year. Experts say it could be a game changer. 

HIV is an epidemic in Georgia. Atlanta ranks in the top five cities with the highest numbers. "HIV continues to be a huge problem," said Leisha McKinley-Beach, CEO founder of the Black Public Health Academy. "Atlanta has the third-highest new HIV diagnoses, only behind Miami and Memphis." 

Tests in Uganda and South Africa have shown Lenacapavir blocks HIV in patients who do not already have the virus. A recent study showed a shot given twice a year to cisgender women blocked the spread of HIV in everyone who took part. 

"This is pretty big. This injection could indeed be one of our game changers," McKinley-Beach said. 

HIV and AIDS hit African American communities much harder than other ethnic groups. Experts like McKinley-Beach say the drug could be an important tool in helping curb the spread of the virus. 

"We want to continue to add to that prevention tool kit to give people options and have pathways to prevent HIV," McKinley-Beach said. "Being able to go to a six-month injection, again, give people more options and different pathways." 

Justin Smith, director of the Campaign to End AIDS at Positive Impact Health Centers called the results "very promising." 

"It is one of the most exciting scientific news we’ve had in the HIV community we’ve had in the HIV community in quite some time," he added. 

So far, Lenacapavir has shown success with women and girls whose gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. Smith says that studies must show similar results with cisgender men and other groups, including transgender women and men. 

"We still have to make sure that we do test in other populations," Satmith said. 

There are still hurdles to clear. The drugmaker must do more tests, then apply to the FDA for use in the U.S., and then there's the cost. Drugmaker Gilead charges more than $42,000 per patient per year, but there are other prevention methods available.