FDA Approves Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Injection

June 18, 2025 Medicine, Science

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a highly effective new HIV-prevention medication, Gilead Sciences reported Wednesday. In clinical trials, the drug nearly eliminated HIV’s spread among people given an injection every six months.

Called Yeztugo, the highly effective drug has inspired feverish anticipation among advocates for HIV prevention. The hope is the medication could accelerate the stubbornly slow decline of HIV transmission in the United States.

Yeztugo (generic name lenacapavir), which is given by health care workers in clinics, is significantly more effective than the existing oral HIV-prevention drugs, experts said, because it appears to address the challenges of sticking to a daily pill regimen for people who are at high risk of HIV.

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#GileadNews: The FDA has approved our injectable HIV-1 prevention medication, making it the first and only twice-yearly #HIV prevention option in the U.S. This approval is helping to usher in the future of prevention as we work to help end the epidemic. https://t.co/wGacaduPRn pic.twitter.com/BqVToUqrtX

— Gilead Sciences (@GileadSciences) June 18, 2025