South Africa pushes for local production of HIV prevention drug lenacapavir

South Africa is seeking to produce a key HIV prevention drug locally as part of a broader effort to improve access to treatment and strengthen the country’s pharmaceutical industry.

The government is working with international partners, including Unitaid and United States Pharmacopeia, to identify a domestic manufacturer capable of producing the long-acting HIV prevention medicine lenacapavir.

The drug, developed by Gilead Sciences, is administered as an injection twice a year and has been seen as a promising tool in the fight against HIV.

Officials say local production could make the medication more affordable and widely available in a country that continues to carry the world’s largest HIV burden. Around eight million people in South Africa are living with the virus.

The initiative would form part of Gilead’s voluntary licensing programme designed to expand access to the drug in lower- and middle-income countries. So far, the company has granted licences to several generic manufacturers in countries such as India, Egypt and Pakistan, allowing distribution across more than 120 nations, including South Africa.

At present, lenacapavir is mainly supplied through donor-supported programmes, but public health experts warn that demand could outstrip current supplies. Establishing local manufacturing capacity could therefore play a critical role in scaling up availability across Africa and potentially other middle-income markets.