Gilead Sciences is making waves in the fight against HIV with their promising injectable HIV prevention medication.
HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a long-standing sexually transmitted disease (STD) that affects millions of people around the world. It concerns HIV carriers, their families, and the healthcare industry. However, despite extensive research by scientists and researchers to develop novel treatments and preventative methods for HIV, there is still no definitive cure.
Why is that so? This is due to the biological properties of the HIV virus, which hinder efforts to find a permanent treatment. Basically, once HIV infects a person, it inserts its viral DNA into the host’s genome, thereby integrating into the host’s cellular makeup.
HIV is good at targeting the immune system, which reduces the body’s ability to fight infections and diseases. Even after numerous research, doctors remain determined to find preventive methods for this condition. One key step in this ongoing battle is the invention of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a preventive method for people at high risk of developing HIV.
The Problem
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a drug for uninfected people who are at high risk of contracting HIV through sexual contact or needle sharing. Previously, the only approved type of PrEP was daily oral drugs such as Truvada and Descovy.
Let’s be honest: not everyone like oral medication, especially if it’s not an encapsulated pill. As much as people wish to protect themselves from HIV, they sometimes get caught up in life and forget to take their medications. A pre-exposure medicine must be used constantly to prevent the virus from establishing itself in the body of an uninfected person.
The Solution
Gilead Sciences is one of the foremost HIV researchers. Gilead Sciences’ researchers have made a significant contribution by developing a long-acting injectable form of PrEP. Gilead’s new HIV prevention injection, lenacapavir, is currently undergoing further studies.
Lenacapavir belongs to a class of drugs known as capsid inhibitors. It works by targeting a specific portion of the HIV virus known as the capsid, which is the protein shell that contains the virus’s genetic information. The breakdown of the capsid prevents the virus from replicating and spreading throughout the body.
Furthermore, this innovation improves HIV prevention by making it easier for people to stick to their treatment. The long-acting injectable type of PrEP, which is administered once or twice a month, requires fewer doses and reduces the risk of missing one. This allows the drug to act constantly providing stronger protection against HIV.
Is The New Injectable PrEP Promising?
The PURPOSE 1 trial, a large clinical study designed to assess the efficacy of a specific HIV prevention technique, was done on cisgender women. This phase 3 clinical trial found a surprising 100% effectiveness rate.
All of the patients who received this treatment remained HIV-negative throughout the research, showing that it worked properly for them. Researchers are now investigating if this medication is effective for other groups, which could help more people remain HIV-free.
Conclusion
HIV remains a severe global health issue with no cure due to its capacity to integrate into the body’s DNA. However, there has been substantial progress in HIV prevention, particularly with the introduction by Gilead Sciences of a long-acting injectable PrEP known as lenacapavir.
Furthermore, this new medicine targets the structure of the HIV virus and is easy to follow through. The recent PURPOSE 1 trial showed that it was 100% effective in preventing HIV in cisgender women, showing that it has the potential to drastically reduce the disease globally.
