Council targets ‘gamechanger’ HIV drug in PH

Metro Manila, Philippines - A policymaking body for HIV/AIDS control has begun studying making an injectable drug available in the country, which the World Health Organization recently recommended for HIV prevention.

In a forum on Thursday, July 17, Philippine National AIDS Council (PNAC) Executive Director Jojo Feliciano said a technical working group is assessing lenacapavir, which has been cited by experts as a “gamechanger” in human immunovirus (HIV) prevention.

Feliciano noted the good results of studies on lenacapavir but said its cost could be a hurdle.

“In terms of availability in the Philippines, wala pa siya, wala pa ‘yan sa gobyerno natin, and pagdating sa presyo malaking usapan pa ‘yan,” the PNAC chief said.

[Translation: In terms of availability in the Philippines, it’s still not here, and our government does not have that yet. Price is still a big issue.]

“Definitely, we want to have that in our country para sa ating mga users, sa ating mga at-risk. May mga pag-aaral, siyempre ‘yong cost-benefit analysis importante ‘yon na ginagawa na ‘yon ngayon,” he said.

[Translation: Definitely, we want to have that in our country for our users and those who are at-risk. Studies are being conducted, including cost-benefit analysis, which is important.]

Neoman Roxas, program officer of AIDS Healthcare Foundation Philippines, said the Global Fund Country Coordinating Mechanism in the Philippines is also working to procure initial stocks of lenacapavir and begin the process for Food and Drug Administration approval.

The foundation is among the members of the mechanism, which is a national committee responsible for overseeing Global Fund grants to combat AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria.

“Hopefully, next year, meron tayong ilang supplies na pwedeng ma-test dito sa Philippines,” Roxas said.

[Translation: Hopefully, we have the initial supplies that could be tested in the Philippines by next year.]

In its guidelines, the WHO recommended lenacapavir as an additional HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis option, a month after the approval of the United States Food and Drug Administration.

Lenacapavir could be administered every six months, which could be an alternative to daily oral pills. The WHO noted the injectable has “shown to be highly effective at reducing the risk of HIV acquisition.”

“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,” WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was quoted as saying.

In a news release, the WHO also suggested a public health approach to HIV testing using HIV rapid tests to support the delivery of long-acting HIV prevention shots, including lenacapavir and cabotegravir.

Health Secretary Ted Herbosa has urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare a public health emergency on HIV, citing a 564 percent increase in newly diagnosed cases in the country from 2010 to 2024.

Herbosa also said HIV cases among the Filipino youth were on the rise.

Feliciano said Malacañang is still studying the proposal, with Herbosa previously admitting a meeting on the matter has yet to be scheduled.