FOSTER CITY, Calif. — September 17, 2026
Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced a new agreement with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) to accelerate access to twice-yearly lenacapavir for HIV prevention as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) across PAHO Member States in Latin America and the Caribbean. Through PAHO’s Regional Revolving Funds, the partnership establishes a coordinated regional pathway to support country-led adoption, procurement and implementation of long-acting HIV prevention. The agreement represents a new component of Gilead’s broader global access strategy and is intended to complement existing generic access pathways and voluntary licensing arrangements. The regional approach is particularly relevant as HIV prevention gaps remain across Latin America and the Caribbean, where new HIV infections increased by 13% between 2010 and 2024, according to Gilead.
Partnership Covers 14 Countries Outside Existing Licenses
The agreement creates an access pathway for 14 countries that are outside Gilead’s existing lenacapavir voluntary licensing agreements, including Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. PAHO will contribute regional coordination and procurement capabilities, while Gilead will provide its access strategy and work with countries toward implementation. The arrangement is designed to support sustainable scale-up while allowing individual countries to determine adoption according to their public health priorities. Gilead said it will continue exploring opportunities with PAHO to support country readiness and expansion of long-acting HIV prevention through the Alliance for the Elimination of HIV in the Americas. The company is also working with the Brazilian Ministry of Health on potential local production of lenacapavir as part of longer-term regional access planning.
Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir Builds Prevention Options
Lenacapavir provides a long-acting PrEP option administered twice yearly, adding an alternative to existing HIV prevention approaches that can require more frequent dosing. The drug is approved in multiple countries for PrEP and is also approved in combination with other antiretrovirals for treatment of multidrug-resistant HIV in adults. Lenacapavir has a multi-stage mechanism designed to inhibit HIV at several stages of its lifecycle, distinguishing it mechanistically from many existing antiviral classes. Gilead is continuing to evaluate additional long-acting formulations and dosing schedules, including a once-yearly injection for HIV prevention. The company said its broader prevention program is intended to expand choice while addressing practical barriers that can affect sustained use of HIV prevention medicines.
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Gilead Expands Global Access Strategy for Lenacapavir
The PAHO agreement adds a regional procurement and implementation model to Gilead’s wider strategy for expanding access to long-acting lenacapavir. The company has combined voluntary licensing, technology transfer, no-profit supply, regional access pathways and public health partnerships to prepare for broader availability. Gilead recently expanded its planned no-profit supply program through 2028 from 2 million to up to 3 million people, with lenacapavir now available through that program in 10 countries across sub-Saharan Africa. The company is also preparing for future generic availability in multiple regions. Together, these initiatives are designed to support country readiness and move HIV prevention programs toward sustainable implementation at scale. The partnership with PAHO marks another step in Gilead’s effort to connect long-acting HIV prevention innovation with regional procurement and public health infrastructure across Latin America and the Caribbean.
Source: Gilead Sciences press release
