The European Commission approved a twice-yearly HIV prevention injection, according to drugmaker Gilead.
The jab, called lenacapavir, blocks the virus from replicating inside the body.
It protects both adults and adolescents from contracting HIV.
Clinical Trials Show Full Effectiveness
Trials showed lenacapavir prevented HIV infection with 100 per cent effectiveness.
Experts called the jab one of 2024’s greatest medical breakthroughs.
The drug, branded Yeytuo, will launch across the EU, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein.
It replaces daily pills with a twice-yearly injection.
Rising Cases Spark Urgency
HIV diagnoses in Europe rose 11.8 per cent in 2023, reaching more than 24,700 new cases.
Gilead’s chief medical officer, Dr. Dietmar Berger, highlighted Yeytuo’s “transformative potential” in tackling this surge.
The FDA approved lenacapavir in the United States, while WHO endorsed it as a prevention option.
Global Expansion Plans
Gilead seeks approval in Australia, Brazil, Canada, South Africa, and Switzerland.
The firm plans submissions in Argentina, Mexico, and Peru soon.
It also agreed to provide generic versions in 120 low-income nations with high HIV rates.
However, U.S. funding cuts cast doubt on broad global access.
Global HIV Burden
HIV affects 40.8 million people worldwide.
An estimated 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses last year.
