Aspen is giving up on local lenacapavir production because demand isn’t guaranteed. Instead, the company is supporting Merck’s alimatravir pill as a means of preventing HIV. Aspen Pharmacare has walked away from government plans to produce lenacapavir locally. This is the clearest sign yet that South Africa’s bid to make its own HIV prevention injection faces stiff commercial headwinds. Instead,…
Tag: HIV Prevention
-
Lenacapavir HIV prevention faces SA supply constraints
Lenacapavir HIV prevention could significantly shorten the time South Africa needs to bring HIV transmission under control. However, modelling suggests the country would need millions of people to receive the long-acting injection each year to realise its full potential. Clinical trials found that lenacapavir provided almost complete protection against HIV infection. The injectable prevention option could also address a persistent…
-
PEPFAR Funding Cuts Deepen Global HIV Crisis
An inaccurate map of Africa presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro drew criticism. US officials incorrectly placed Mozambique in the Horn of Africa and moved Ivory Coast from West to East Africa. The mistakes damaged the goodwill built by the Trump administration’s decision to attend the conference, and officials also addressed questions about changes to…
-
Lenacapavir Production in South Africa Moves Closer
Three South African pharmaceutical manufacturers have reached the shortlist to potentially produce Gilead Sciences’ HIV-prevention injection, lenacapavir. Deputy Health Minister Joe Phaala confirmed the development at the 26th International Aids Conference in Rio de Janeiro. The South African National Aids Council evaluated submissions received through a call for expressions of interest. It then selected three possible manufacturers. Phaala declined to…
-
Global HIV Funding Cuts Put AIDS Progress At Risk
Global HIV funding cuts pushed international financing for the epidemic to its lowest level in almost two decades in 2025. Funding from several donor countries fell by 18% between 2024 and 2025, according to a new UNAIDS report. The total declined by more than $1.5bn to $7.3bn. The contraction comes at a critical point in the global response to HIV.…
-
Aspen HIV Prevention Pill Deal Expands African Access
Aspen Pharmacare will become a major African supplier of Merck’s experimental monthly HIV prevention pill, alimatravir. The agreement depends on the medicine successfully completing clinical trials and receiving regulatory approval. Merck granted voluntary licenses to seven generic drug manufacturers, including the South African company, to produce and distribute lower-cost versions of the medicine. The drug also goes by its development…
-
Lenacapavir PrEP Rollout Brings Hope Amid Service Cuts
South Africa has launched lenacapavir, a new injectable form of pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. The injection provides six months of protection against HIV infection. It is given twice a year. Health experts say the Lenacapavir PrEP Rollout could be a major step forward for HIV prevention. It offers an alternative to oral PrEP, which requires people to take tablets regularly.…
-
Lenacapavir HIV Prevention Injection: SA Rollout Faces Heat
South Africa’s long-acting HIV prevention programme has entered a new phase. President Cyril Ramaphosa and Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi led an official rollout event in Secunda, Mpumalanga, on 5 June 2026. The twice-yearly injection of lenacapavir prevents HIV infection when used as prescribed. Health officials position the product as a major addition to the country’s prevention toolkit. This is alongside…
-
Lenacapavir Manufacturing In SA: Strengthening Production
A new wave of “America First” industrial policy is reshaping global supply chains. Medicines and vaccines are increasingly treated as strategic assets, not just commercial products. That shift matters for South Africa, which still relies heavily on imports for essential health technologies, making discussions around Lenacapavir Manufacturing in SA increasingly important. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how quickly supply lines can…