What happens when the world’s best HIV prevention tool meets the planet’s deadliest infectious disease?
This article discusses the potential of lenacapavir (LEN), a new six-monthly HIV prevention shot, to significantly reduce new HIV infections in South Africa, particularly among individuals with or at risk of tuberculosis (TB). It highlights the challenge of drug interactions between LEN and common TB medications like rifampicin, which can reduce LEN's effectiveness.
Why it matters
The introduction of LEN could be a game-changer in ending the AIDS epidemic in South Africa, but its efficacy is complicated by the widespread co-occurrence of HIV and TB and the need to manage drug interactions for effective prevention.
The arrival of the nearly foolproof six-monthly HIV prevention shot, lenacapavir (LEN), earlier this month was never going to be just an HIV story. That’s because in South Africa, HIV and TB have been fellow travellers for decades.
The article presents information about a new drug, its potential benefits, and challenges in a straightforward, objective manner, citing modelling scientists.
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