FDA approval for Yeztugo

The U.S. FDA has recently approved Yeztugo (lenacapavir), a twice-a-year injectable medication by Gilead Sciences for the prevention of HIV in high-risk individuals. This long-acting drug offers a revolutionary shift from daily pills to biannual dosing.

How is Yeztugo different from current PrEP?

Current Standard – PrEP:

PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) is usually taken daily using medicines like Truvada or Descovy.
These oral pills are highly effective but rely on daily adherence.

Yeztugo’s Advantage:

Yeztugo requires only two injections per year.
It maintains a steady presence in the body, reducing the risk of missed doses and improving compliance.

Will PrEP still be needed with Yeztugo?

Once Yeztugo is administered, additional daily PrEP pills are not needed.
It offers complete coverage for the 6-month period between injections.

Affordability and access

U.S. Price Estimate:

According to the washingtonpost, Gilead has set the annual list price of Yeztugo (lenacapavir) at $28,218 per year (equivalent to two injections, each $14,109)
This cost is not easily affordable for uninsured individuals.

Availability in India:

Not yet available in India.
Entry is expected by late 2026 or 2027, only if: Gilead grants voluntary licenses to Indian pharmaceutical manufacturers.
Or if the Indian government exercises compulsory licensing under patent laws.

India’s role in generic manufacturing

India is known as the “Pharmacy of the World” and plays a key role in making life-saving drugs affordable globally.
Gilead previously allowed Indian companies to produce cheaper generics of Hepatitis C drugs in 2014.
Similar voluntary licensing may help bring Yeztugo to India at a much lower cost (possibly under ₹3,000 per injection).

Global & Indian HIV scenario

Global HIV cases: ~39 million people living with HIV (UNAIDS, 2024).
In India HIV cases: ~2.4 million active cases, with thousands of new infections each year.
Preventive strategies like long-acting injectables are urgently needed to reduce transmission.

What’s better for HIV prevention: Daily PrEP or injectable shots?

current PrEP medications like Tenvir-EM and Truvada are daily oral pills. While effective, taking a pill every single day can be a challenge—many people forget doses or find daily adherence inconvenient over time.

The arrival of injectable options like Yeztugo in India could be a game-changer. Instead of remembering to take a pill daily, patients would only need two injections per year—one every six months.

This not only reduces the burden of daily medication but also offers consistent protection against HIV, minimizing the risk of human error and missed doses.

With this long-acting option, the fear of accidental exposure or missed pills could significantly drop—making HIV prevention simpler and more reliable for millions.

Will long-acting HIV shots replace daily PrEP?

While Yeztugo is promising, oral PrEP will still be relevant, especially in low-resource settings.
Mass adoption of Yeztugo will depend on: Licensing, Cost and Public health policies
PrEP isn’t going away—but long-acting shots could dominate in urban and high-risk populations.

What is the price of PrEP tablets in India?

Generic PrEP price in India like Tenvir‑EM, Tenof-EM, Recovir-EM costs about ₹1,500‑₹1,900/month. In contrast, the U.S. prices are around $1,836 (Truvada) and $2,031 (Descovy) per month

Sources:

https://time.com/7295343/fda-hiv-shot-lenacapavir-yeztugo/

https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/2025/06/21/yeztugo-hiv-prevention-shot/

https://www.goodrx.com/truvada/truvada-hiv-prep-cost-generic-how-to-save

https://chandigarhsacs.org.in/HIVAIDS.html