US lists Uganda among 10 countries to benefit from HIV-prevention drug

KAMPALA - The US Department of State says Uganda is among the 10 high-burden HIV countries to benefit from the subsidised HIV-prevention drug.

The life-saving drug lenacapavir will be marketed in Uganda and distributed through the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), according to the US embassy in Uganda.

"The US initiative, which will promote global scale in production and distribution of the medication and catalyse further global investment, has the potential to save hundreds of thousands of lives," the statement issued on September 30, 2025, reads.

The embassy says the US, in collaboration with Uganda's health ministry, will introduce lenacapavir next year.

"Taken only twice a year, lenacapavir offers a highly effective and convenient HIV prevention option for individuals at high risk of HIV acquisition. Clinical trials show more than 99% of people on lenacapavir remained HIV negative".

The embassy says the intervention will advance Uganda’s fight against HIV/AIDS, particularly for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers. 

"The US government and the Global Fund, of which the US government is the largest donor, are co-funding this advanced market commitment to purchase lenacapavir for up to 2 million individuals by 2028 in countries with the largest HIV/AIDS epidemics. Gilead has agreed to provide the drug at cost". 

The embassy also says drug manufacturer Gilead has agreed to provide their intellectual property to generic manufacturers who can produce the drug at scale and help bring down the price so that future purchases can be sustained by local governments.

US Ambassador to Uganda William W. Popp said: "Collaboration between an American company and researchers right here in Uganda led to a medical breakthrough to reduce new HIV infections in the communities that need it most. This exciting development will accelerate our progress toward ending HIV as a public health threat, building a healthier future for America, Uganda, and the world.”

Lenacapavir to be available for sh140,000 a year 

Generic versions of the injectable HIV-prevention drug should be available for $40 (about sh140,0000) a year in more than 100 countries from 2027, Unitaid and the Gates Foundation said last week.

The two organisations entered into separate agreements with Indian pharmaceutical companies to produce cheaper generic versions of lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injection shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission by more than 99.9 per cent,  for low- and middle-income countries.

Marketed under the brand name Yeztugo by California-based Gilead Sciences, lenacapavir currently costs about $28,000 (about sh97.9m) a year in the US.

Far cheaper generic versions are therefore "really critical for the scale-up of prevention of HIV," Carmen Perez Casas, Unitaid's strategic lead for HIV, told AFP in an interview.
"Now, with this product, we can end HIV."

In October last year, Gilead announced that it had signed licensing deals with six generic drugmakers to produce and sell the world's first long-acting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in poorer countries.

Unitaid, an international health agency, said Wednesday that a partnership had been established with Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHA) and Wits RHI to provide the drug at an annual cost of $40 per person across 120 nations starting in 2027.

According to the embassy, the US will work closely with the Government to develop a rollout plan for this life-saving medication.