In South Africa’s Western Cape, 3,641 people began HIV prevention with lenacapavir
As of August 23, 3,641 people in South Africa’s Western Cape province had begun HIV prevention with the injectable drug lenacapavir. The drug was offered at 22 public healthcare facilities in the province, while a total of 47,934 lenacapavir initiations were recorded nationwide.
This was reported by Daily Maverick, citing Foster Mohale, spokesperson for the national health department. Due to severely limited supplies, the drug is currently being rolled out at only 360 healthcare facilities in six South African provinces. Lenacapavir has not yet been rolled out in the Free State, Limpopo and Northern Cape provinces.
Focus on women at risk of infection
At the initial stage of the program, the main focus is on adolescent girls and young women, women of reproductive age, as well as pregnant and breastfeeding women who face a substantial risk of HIV infection. According to Mohale, since June, 258 pregnant women have started lenacapavir prevention at 22 facilities in the Western Cape province.
As of August 26, the highest numbers of drug administrations in the province were recorded at Khayelitsha Community Health Centre, Michael Mapongwana Community Health Centre and Nolungile Community Health Centre. The latter two facilities are located in Khayelitsha.
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Research and participant reactions
The Desmond Tutu Health Foundation is conducting the Align study in the Philippi area. In February, the first group of participants aged 15 to 35 received lenacapavir injections as part of the study. Researchers intend to recruit at least 1,500 people and follow them for 18 months to assess strategies for implementing the drug and ways to support its regular use.
Some study participants reported small lumps under the skin at injection sites. According to them, these were not painful, began to shrink after about a month and later disappeared. At the same time, two users of the drug whom journalists spoke with at a specialized event in late August reported temporary pain and swelling after administration.
Lenacapavir is administered in two injections, with the next administration required six months later. Program participants and healthcare workers noted that such an interval may be more convenient for people who find it difficult to take pills for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis every day.
Supplies of the drug in South Africa remain limited. Daily Maverick notes that access may expand following the registration and market launch of generic versions: Indian company Hetero has already submitted an application to register a generic with South Africa’s regulator.
