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An AIDS treatment considered very promising would cost about $40,000 per person per year, but a generic version could reduce that to around $40, according to estimates released by researchers on Tuesday at the 25th International AIDS Conference.
Many international experts say the antiretroviral drug, developed by US giant Gilead from the Lenacapavi molecule, could be a game-changer in the fight against HIV.
It only requires two injections per year, making it easier to take than daily medications. It is also being tested as a preventive medicine (PrEP) to avoid infection and was 100% effective according to a recent preliminary study.
He told AFP the treatment “works like a vaccine” and could “stop the spread of HIV” if given to high-risk groups such as gay or bisexual people, sex workers, prisoners or young women, particularly in Africa. Andrew Hill from Britain’s Liverpool University presented the research.
In countries such as the United States, France, Norway or Australia, the annual cost of lenavavir is approximately US$40,000 per year, making it unaffordable for the vast majority of patients.
That cost could fall to $40 if the U.S. giant allowed generic production, according to calculations by the researchers, who published their findings in Munich (which have not been independently reviewed).
The experts based their hypothesis on the requests of 10 million people.
To estimate the cost of a generic drug, the researchers spoke to major generic drug manufacturers in China and India, which already produce the “ingredients” for the treatment, Andrew Hill said.
About a decade ago, the same research team estimated that Gilead’s hepatitis C treatment, which then cost $84,000 per patient, could drop to $100 if generics were allowed. “It costs less than $40 to treat hepatitis C now,” says Andrew Hill.
Winnie Byanyima, executive director of UNAIDS, urged Gilead to “enter history” by allowing the production of generic versions of its antiretroviral drugs in an interview with AFP on Monday.
Gilead, which has faced pressure from many people and non-governmental organizations, has said in recent months that it “regularly” holds discussions with HIV actors “including governments and non-governmental organizations” to “enable as many people as possible” to access treatment.
Although approximately 30 million people living with HIV worldwide are benefiting from antiretroviral treatment, approximately 10 million people do not have access to treatment.
In 2023, approximately 1.3 million people will be living with HIV.
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