US to provide 2M HIV prevention shots to low-income countries by 2028

The US will purchase 2 million doses of the HIV-prevention drug lenacapavir to distribute in low- and middle-income countries by 2028, the State Department announced Thursday.

"We're hoping, with the Global Fund, to help 2 million people get on the medication over the next three years but could potentially see more," said Jeremy Lewin, a senior State Department official, according to the Los Angeles Times' report.

The move aims to protect those most vulnerable, including pregnant and breastfeeding women, the daily also said.

The program will operate through the PEPFAR initiative in partnership with governments in countries hardest hit by HIV.

PEPFAR stands for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. It's a US government initiative launched in 2003 to combat HIV/AIDS globally, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injection, is seen as a breakthrough for PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) because it provides six months of protection, compared with daily pills that can be difficult to adhere to.

Clinical studies in high-risk populations have shown the drug nearly eliminates new infections.

Gilead Sciences will sell the doses at no profit for use in affected countries, with generic versions planned for Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Caribbean.

Worldwide, HIV continues to pose a major challenge, with 1.3 million new infections each year and nearly 40 million people living with the virus.