As the International AIDS Society’s 13th AIS Conference on HIV Science opened in Rwanda this week there was a call to accelerate the development of longlisting injectable medications for HIV prevention and treatment.
Four thousand participants are attending IAS 2025 in Kigali, Rwanda, and virtually. The IAS Conference on HIV Science is the world’s most influential meeting on HIV research and its applications.
Ahead of the conference opening the World Health Organisation endorsed new guidelines for the use long lasting injectable treatments.
Treatment regimes which allow people to bring the amount of HIV in their body down to an undetectable and untransmissible level have been a breakthrough in the global fight against HIV, while PreExposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) treatments have brough protection to those who do not have the virus.
Currently most people accessing these treatments take a pill each day, but an injectable version of the medication would see people only having to be treated every two months. It could be a game changer, especially in countries where accessing daily treatment is challenging.
“Today marks a significant moment in the journey to expand choices and improve outcomes for people living with and vulnerable to HIV,” Dr Beatriz Grinsztejn, IAS President, said.
“New WHO guidelines, groundbreaking licensing agreements and promising research signal that long-acting HIV prevention and treatment are moving closer to becoming part of everyday care. This is a testament to what is possible when researchers, industry, global health institutions and communities work together.
“Our next challenge is clear: leaders must commit the funding and resources needed to integrate these scientific advances into health systems quickly and equitably so that people everywhere can benefit from these life-changing options.” Dr Grinsztejn said.
Among the key announcements during the opening session were new World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines recommending long-acting injectable lenacapavir for HIV prevention, underscoring WHO’s commitment to equitable access to these innovations.
“We have the tools and the knowledge to end AIDS as a public health problem,” Dr Meg Doherty, Director of WHO’s Department of Global HIV, Hepatitis and STI Programmes and incoming Director of Science, Research, Evidence and Quality for Health, said.
“What we need now is bold implementation of these recommendations, grounded in equity and powered by communities.”
A statement from Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, was also issued in support of the new guidance.
“While an HIV vaccine remains elusive, lenacapavir is the next best thing: a long-acting antiretroviral shown in trials to prevent almost all HIV infections among those at risk,” Dr Ghebreyesus said.
“The launch of WHO’s new guidelines, alongside the FDA’s recent approval, marks a critical step forward in expanding access to this powerful tool. WHO is committed to working with countries and partners to ensure this innovation reaches communities as quickly and safely as possible.”
