New Who Guidelines Recommend Injectable Lenacapavir For Hiv Prevention

The World Health Organization (WHO) released coming caller guidelines recommending nan usage of injectable lenacapavir (LEN) doubly a year as an further pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) action for HIV prevention, successful a landmark argumentation action that could thief reshape nan world HIV response. The guidelines are being issued astatine nan 13th International AIDS Society Conference (IAS 2025) connected HIV Science, successful Kigali, Rwanda.

LEN, nan first twice-yearly injectable PrEP product, offers a highly effective, long-acting replacement to regular oral pills and different shorter-acting options. With conscionable 2 doses per year, LEN is simply a transformative measurement guardant successful protecting group astatine consequence of HIV – peculiarly those who look challenges pinch regular adherence, stigma, aliases entree to wellness care.

While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is nan adjacent champion thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown successful tests to forestall almost each HIV infections among those astatine risk. The motorboat of WHO's caller guidelines, alongside nan FDA's caller approval, marks a captious measurement guardant successful expanding entree to this powerful tool. WHO is committed to moving pinch countries and partners to guarantee this invention reaches communities arsenic quickly and safely arsenic possible."

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General

The caller guidelines travel astatine a captious infinitesimal arsenic HIV prevention efforts stagnate pinch 1.3 million caller HIV infections occurring successful 2024 – pinch disproportionate effect among cardinal and privilege populations, including activity workers, men who person activity pinch men, transgender people, group who inject drugs, group successful prisons, and children and adolescents. WHO's proposal connected LEN signals a decisive move to grow and diversify HIV prevention, giving group much options to return power complete their wellness pinch choices that fresh their lives.

Simplified testing: a awesome obstruction removed

As portion of these guidelines, WHO has recommended a nationalist wellness attack to HIV testing utilizing HIV accelerated tests to support transportation of long-acting injectable PrEP, including LEN and cabotegravir (CAB-LA). The simplified testing proposal removes a awesome entree obstruction by eliminating complex, costly procedures and enabling community-based transportation of long-acting PrEP done pharmacies, clinics, and tele-health.

Next steps: telephone for implementation

LEN joins different WHO-recommended PrEP options, including regular oral PrEP, injectable cabotegravir and nan dapivirine vaginal ring, arsenic portion of a increasing arsenal of devices to extremity nan HIV epidemic. While entree to LEN extracurricular objective tests remains constricted astatine nan moment, WHO urges governments, donors and world wellness partners to statesman rolling retired LEN instantly wrong nationalist operation HIV prevention programmes – while collecting basal information connected uptake, adherence and real-world impact.

Additional WHO recommendations astatine IAS 2025

For nan first time, WHO's curen guidelines see a clear proposal for nan usage of long-acting injectable cabotegravir and rilpivirine (CAB/RPV) arsenic an replacement switching action for antiretroviral therapy (ART) for adults and adolescents who person achieved afloat viral suppression connected oral ART and do not person progressive hepatitis B infection. This attack is designed to support group surviving pinch HIV facing adherence challenges to oral regimens.

Updated guidelines connected work transportation integration see recommendations to merge HIV services pinch noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) specified arsenic hypertension and diabetes, arsenic good arsenic intelligence wellness attraction for depression, worry and intoxicant usage disorders into HIV services, alongside interventions to support ART adherence. Additionally, caller guidelines connected guidance of asymptomatic STIs urge screening of gonorrhoea and/or chlamydia successful cardinal and privilege populations.

For group surviving pinch HIV who person mpox and are either ART naive aliases person knowledgeable prolonged ART interruption, accelerated initiation of ART is powerfully recommended. Additionally, early HIV testing is advised for individuals presenting pinch suspected aliases confirmed mpox infection. WHO's modular operating procedures further stress HIV and syphilis testing for each individuals pinch suspected aliases confirmed mpox.

In consequence to nan broader challenges facing HIV programmes, WHO has besides issued caller operational guidance connected sustaining privilege HIV services successful a changing backing landscape. The guidance intends to supply a stepwise model to thief countries prioritize services, measure risks, show disruptions, and accommodate systems to protect wellness outcomes and sphere progress.

"We person nan devices and nan knowledge to extremity AIDS arsenic a nationalist wellness problem," said Dr. Meg Doherty, Director of WHO's Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes and incoming Director of Science, Research, Evidence and Quality for Health. "What we request now is bold implementation of these recommendations, grounded successful equity and powered by communities."

HIV remains a awesome world nationalist wellness issue. By nan extremity of 2024, an estimated 40.8 million group were surviving pinch HIV pinch an estimated 65% successful nan WHO African Region. Approximately 630 000 group died from HIV-related causes globally, and an estimated 1.3 million group acquired HIV, including 120 000 children. Access to ART continues to expand, pinch 31.6 million group receiving curen successful 2024, up from 30.3 million successful 2023.

At a clip of reduced backing for HIV and health, WHO's caller and updated guidelines connection practical, evidence-based strategies to prolong momentum. By expanding prevention and curen options, simplifying work transportation and promoting integration pinch broader wellness services, they support much efficient, equitable, and resilient HIV responses. Now is nan infinitesimal for bold implementation to guarantee these gains construe into real-world impact.