IAPAC Statement Regarding Interim PURPOSE 2 Trial Results
12 September 2024 ▪ Washington, DC
IAPAC applauds the promising interim results from Gilead Sciences’ PURPOSE 2 trial demonstrating the efficacy of lenacapavir as long-acting injectable pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). These results show a 96% reduction in HIV incidence among men who have sex with men, transgender, and nonbinary individuals compared to background rates of new infections, and an 89% reduction compared with oral tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC). In combination with results from the PURPOSE 1 trial with cisgender women, these results mark a critical milestone in expanding the options available for HIV prevention.
However, as we celebrate this scientific breakthrough, it is imperative to emphasize that equity of access is fundamental to public health and must remain at the forefront of any efforts to introduce new drug technology innovations such as lenacapavir. Public health initiatives, particularly in resource-constrained settings, must prioritize ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their geographic location or socioeconomic status, can benefit from these innovations. The true measure of success in HIV prevention will be the degree to which it is accessible to everyone, everywhere.
We call upon Gilead Sciences to act swiftly and decisively to break down barriers to accessing lenacapravir, including by ensuring its cost does not become cost prohibitive for health systems in every region of the world. Once approved, lenacapravir must be accessible and affordable in all countries both as a human rights imperative but also to attain global HIV targets. Gilead Science’s public-facing vision statement “to create a healthier world for all people” must be reflected in its next steps to make lenacapravir an HIV prevention intervention within reach for all people within the context of autonomy in decision-making about their health care.
We urge Gilead Sciences to prioritize measures that accelerate equitable and sustainable access to lenacapavir and work in partnership with governments, clinicians, civil society, professional associations, and global health organizations to create a world where every person has the tools needed to prevent HIV acquisition. IAPAC stands ready to mobilize our 30,000 clinician-members, and work with our allied medical, nursing, and public health association partners, to accelerate access to HIV prevention innovations for everyone, everywhere.
