Nearly 200,000 doses of the long-acting HIV prevention drug lenacapavir have been administered across Africa, according to a report from Aidsmap. The milestone was announced at the AIDS 2026 conference, where public health officials highlighted both the progress and ongoing obstacles.
The injectable medication, developed by Gilead Sciences, is given twice a year and has been rolled out in several African countries as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option. Aidsmap notes that while the number of shots delivered is significant, supply chain issues continue to pose challenges for broader distribution. The report cites data presented at the conference, including an analysis of South Africa’s initial rollout by Bhekisisa, which found that demand is outpacing available stock in some regions.
A separate piece from allAfrica.com, also covering the conference, reports that activists and governments are calling on Gilead and national authorities to improve access to the medicine. The calls focus on lowering costs and increasing manufacturing capacity to meet the needs of populations at high risk of HIV infection.
Lenacapavir is seen as a promising tool in HIV prevention because it requires only two injections per year, compared to daily oral pills. However, the supply constraints highlighted by Aidsmap suggest that scaling up the program will require coordinated efforts between drugmakers, governments, and international health organizations.
Observers will be watching for announcements from Gilead regarding expanded production and pricing agreements in the coming months.
