First-of-Its-Kind HIV Prevention Shot Just Got FDA Approved

The FDA has approved lenacapavir, the world’s first HIV prevention shot, which only needs to be taken twice a year.

“This is a historic day in the decades-long fight against HIV,” says Daniel O’Day, Chairman and CEO of Gilead Sciences of the shot marketed as Yeztugo. “Yeztugo is one of the most important scientific breakthroughs of our time and offers a very real opportunity to help end the HIV epidemic.”

Currently, HIV infection affects 1.3 million people every year. The breakthrough vaccine has proven to be almost 100% effective against the virus. Lenacapavir can effectively stop the virus from copying itself, earning it the 2024 Breakthrough Invention of the Year by the journal Science. What’s more, the vaccine creator, Gilead, has promised to ensure affordable access to the drug across the United States and beyond. As of now, the next goal is to establish the infrastructure and resources needed to ensure that even individuals in middle- and low-income nations can soon receive the vaccine, potentially saving millions of lives around the world.