The Ministry of Health said Friday that demand for Lenacapavir, a long-acting HIV prevention injection launched in Uganda in April, is exceeding available supplies, with men accounting for a growing share of those seeking the drug.
Speaking at a meeting attended by HIV advocates, researchers and policymakers, Dr. Herbert Kadama, the ministry’s coordinator for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), said health officials have been surprised by the high number of men seeking the twice-yearly injection. The drug is currently reserved for people considered at very high risk of acquiring HIV.
Although Lenacapavir is only available to individuals who meet strict eligibility criteria following screening, Kadama said the ministry continues to receive inquiries from people across different population groups asking where and how they can access the drug.
At its launch in April, Uganda received 19,200 doses for distribution to 103 health facilities. Dr. Peter Mudiope, head of HIV prevention at the Ministry of Health, said another consignment is expected to arrive before recipients are due for their second dose in October.
However, Mudiope said the shipment, initially expected this month, may be delayed after the manufacturer reported shortages of the oral tablets used as a loading dose before the injection is administered.
Despite growing demand, Mudiope said the medicine remains too expensive for large-scale government procurement. At about $28,000 per dose on the international market, Uganda is currently relying on donations from the Global Fund and the United States government to support access.
Uganda played a key role in generating evidence for the drug’s effectiveness. Clinical studies that demonstrated Lenacapavir’s potential as HIV prevention were conducted among young women at research sites in Kalangala, Masaka and Mityana districts.
Dr. Flavia Matovu Kiweewa, (Uganda’s MaMa LEN) a senior scientist at the MU-JHU Research Collaboration and lead investigator on the study, said women who participated in the trials are guaranteed continued access to the injection. She said about 95% of former study participants are currently receiving the drug.
At MU-JHU, priority is being given to pregnant and breastfeeding women, with about 70% of available doses allocated to those groups, Matovu said.
She added that supplies are expected to improve within the next two years after Gilead Sciences signed licensing agreements with six manufacturers to produce generic versions of the drug. The generics are expected to cost about $40 per dose, dramatically reducing the price barrier to wider access.
While supplies remain limited, Ministry of Health officials are encouraging people at risk of HIV to use other available PrEP options. These include daily oral PrEP tablets and long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA), which is administered every two months after two initial injections given four weeks apart.
