Pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences has come under mounting pressure after refusing to sell its breakthrough HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, directly to Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), despite repeated requests.
In an open letter, the group renewed its repeated requests to California-based Gilead to sell the drug, saying the company is blocking lenacapavir’s rollout. MSF said it had sought to purchase a limited supply of the drug for its global programmes. However, Gilead declined, maintaining its position for several months.
Lenacapavir is a long-acting injectable form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) administered just twice a year. It has been described as a major advancement in HIV prevention, particularly for vulnerable populations in humanitarian settings where access to daily medication is limited. About 1.3 million people worldwide contract HIV every year.
Africa: Gilead Under Fire for Not Selling HIV Drug Lenacapavir to MSF
allAfrica, 2 April 2026
Pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences has come under mounting pressure after refusing to sell its breakthrough HIV prevention drug, lenacapavir, directly to… Read more »
Africa: Gilead Refuses to Sell Groundbreaking HIV Prevention Drug to MSF
MSF, 30 March 2026
Blocking humanitarian organizations from accessing a medical breakthrough puts vulnerable people across the world in danger. Read more »
Africa: Open Letter to Gilead – Prevention Should Not Be a Privilege
MSF, 30 March 2026
MSF calls on Gilead for direct access to lenacapavir, as the current rollout falls far short of the needs. Read more »
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Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) administered just twice a year (file photo).
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