CNN —Two shots a year of a drug currently used to treat HIV infections were dramatically effective at preventing infections in a study among young women and adolescent girls in Africa. The twice-yearly injection of the drug lenacapavir can provide total protection against HIV infections, demonstrating 100% efficacy in Phase 3 trial data released by drugmaker Gilead and published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine. The twice-a-year injections of lenacapavir could add another option at preventing HIV infections to the toolbox. The latest Phase 3 findings are part of Gilead’s PURPOSE program, which comprises five HIV prevention trials around the world. “While Gilead awaits additional phase 3 clinical trial data and the potential regulatory filings for HIV prevention administered twice-yearly, it is too early to state the price of lenacapavir for PrEP (prevention).

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Persons: drugmaker Gilead, ” Linda, Gail Bekker, Desmond Tutu, “, ”, Dan Barouch, hasn’t, Gilead, Dr, Jason Zucker, Barouch, ” Zucker, Lenacapavir, Gilead spokeperson, lenacapavir, Sanjay Gupta, Daniel O’Day Organizations: CNN, New England, of Medicine, International AIDS, PrEP, University of Cape, International AIDS Society, Center, Virology, Vaccine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical, United, lenacapavir, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, ”, US Food and Drug Administration, AIDS, CNN Health, People’s Medicines Alliance, Medicines Locations: Africa, Munich, University of Cape Town, South Africa, Uganda, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Peru, Thailand, United States, United Kingdom, Germany, Gilead, Europe