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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable HIV prevention drug, recorded zero new HIV infections over a full year in the PURPOSE 1 open-label extension among adolescent girls and women in Africa. With 97% adherence and over 7,000 person-years of data, the results are compelling. Participants overwhelmingly preferred the shot over daily pills, describing it as a convenient, stress-free option that fits naturally into their lives.
A twice-yearly injectable HIV prevention drug is continuing to impress. The open-label extension of the PURPOSE 1 trial — which enrolled over 5,300 cisgender females aged 16–25 in Uganda and South Africa — recorded zero new HIV infections over 52 weeks among participants taking lenacapavir (Yeztugo). That's across more than 7,000 person-years of data, presented at the AIDS 2026 conference in Rio de Janeiro.
The results build on the randomized phase, where lenacapavir cut HIV incidence by 100% compared to daily oral PrEP. In the companion PURPOSE 2 trial (cisgender men and transgender/gender-nonbinary persons), only one new HIV infection occurred during the extension period — an incidence rate of just 0.07 per 100 person-years.
Participants didn't just tolerate the shot — they embraced it. Qualitative interviews highlighted how the every-six-month injection removed the daily pill burden, fitting seamlessly into busy, mobile lifestyles. Injection site pain was noted but considered an acceptable trade-off for long-acting protection.
By the Numbers
Why it matters: Women and girls account for ~45% of new global HIV infections, with 63% in sub-Saharan Africa. A twice-yearly injection with near-perfect efficacy and high acceptability could be a significant advancement for populations where daily pill adherence is a persistent barrier to prevention.
