Hetero Partners with Gilead to Expand Global Access to HIV Drug Lenacapavir

4 Oct 2024 , 09:53 AM

Pharmaceutical company Hetero announced a new partnership with Gilead Sciences Ireland UC to manufacture and distribute the HIV treatment drug lenacapavir. The agreement covers 120 countries, primarily focusing on low- and lower-middle-income regions.

This non-exclusive, royalty-free voluntary licensing agreement aims to increase access to lenacapavir, an innovative treatment that works in combination with other antiretrovirals.

The collaboration supports efforts for HIV prevention through pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), emphasizing Hetero’s commitment to improving HIV care.

Managing Director of Hetero, Vamsi Krishna Bandi, stated that this partnership enhances their goal of advancing HIV prevention and treatment.

The agreement will particularly benefit heavily treatment-experienced patients with multi-drug-resistant HIV, providing new options in underserved areas. Lenacapavir effectively targets multiple stages of the HIV lifecycle, making it a valuable choice for patients with limited treatment options.

Recently, Gilead reported encouraging results from a Phase 3 clinical trial, showing that lenacapavir reduced HIV infections by 96% compared to the background incidence. The drug is also under investigation as a long-acting prevention method in ongoing clinical trials, indicating its potential in the fight against HIV.