Lenacapavir – a strong weapon to accelerate HIV prevention

Globally, the 2025 prevention target, that is, 95% of people at risk of HIV infection having access to and using effective combination prevention options, is not within reach. Rapid, wider access to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) could quickly reduce the number of new infections, ultimately among people from key populations. In 2015, the World Health Organization recommended daily oral PrEP using tenofovir-based drugs; however, expanded access to PrEP is still limited. Key barriers to HIV PrEP uptake and persistence are daily adherence, fear of stigma and discrimination, and limited awareness of the acceptability of and access to PrEP services. Long-acting options could address these barriers. New prevention products such as long-acting injectable cabotegravir and, most recently, lenacapavir provide very high levels of protection against HIV when compared with daily oral PrEP.