Justicia Shipena
The director-general of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Tedros Ghebreyesus, has endorsed new WHO guidelines recommending long-acting injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention.
He described it as a critical step in expanding access to a powerful tool that could prevent most HIV infections among at-risk populations.
Lenacapavir, developed by Gilead Sciences, is a long‑acting antiretroviral for HIV prevention and treatment.
“While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing,” Dr Tedros said in a statement.
He said WHO is committed to working with countries and partners to ensure this innovation reaches communities as quickly and safely as possible.
His message came as the 13th International AIDS Society (IAS) conference on HIV science (IAS 2025) opened in Kigali, Rwanda, with over 4 000 participants attending in person and virtually.
The event is considered the world’s leading meeting on HIV research and its real-world applications.
This year’s theme urges global health leaders to accelerate access to long-acting HIV prevention and treatment options amid rising funding challenges.
Speaking at a press conference titled on Monday, Rwanda’s minister of health, Sabin Nsanzimana, highlighted the country’s progress in meeting the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets and integrating long-acting HIV treatment into national programmes.
“Our shared responsibility is to ensure that these innovations are not only developed but also equitably accessible to all who need them.”
IAS president Beatriz Grinsztejn said the launch of new WHO guidelines, promising research, and licensing agreements are key signals that long-acting treatment is moving closer to being part of routine care.
“Our next challenge is clear: leaders must commit the funding and resources needed to integrate these scientific advances into health systems quickly and equitably so that people everywhere can benefit from these life-changing options,” she said.
Meg Doherty, WHO director of global HIV, hepatitis and STI programmes, said the new WHO guidance must be implemented with urgency.
“We have the tools and the knowledge to end AIDS as a public health problem. What we need now is bold implementation of these recommendations, grounded in equity and powered by communities.”
A new licensing deal between the medicines patent pool and ViiV Healthcare was also announced, expanding access to long-acting injectable cabotegravir for HIV treatment.
“Expanding our licence with ViiV Healthcare to include long-acting cabotegravir marks a significant step forward for equitable access,” said Esteban Burrone, director of strategy, policy and market access at the medicines patent pool.
Mary Mahy, UNAIDS director for data impact, said that by the end of 2024, 73% of people living with HIV had achieved viral suppression.
She warned that global funding gaps now threaten these gains.
UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima echoed this concern.
“We are seeing a massive interruption in international HIV financing which has created a systemic shock to the global HIV response,” she said.
“However, our AIDS response was created in crisis. It is in our DNA to face crisis and to fight our way out of crisis,” added Byanyima.
IAS 2025 will continue until 17 July, with sessions focused on translating science into impact for communities most affected by HIV.
