Kenya has marked a historic milestone in the fight against HIV/AIDS, becoming the first East African nation to receive starter doses of Lenacapavir, a groundbreaking long-acting injectable for HIV prevention.
A shipment of 21,000 doses arrived late Tuesday night, signalling the start of a phased roll-out targeting 15 priority counties. These regions, including Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa, Siaya, and Homa Bay, were selected based on high HIV prevalence and burden. According to Health Cabinet Secretary Aden Duale, an additional 12,000 doses are expected by April to ensure continuity for those receiving the initial shots.
The drug, funded through a negotiated arrangement with the Global Fund at a cost of approximately Sh7,800 per patient per year, offers a significant shift from daily oral Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP). Health officials emphasised that while the injection is highly effective, it is strictly for HIV-negative individuals and is neither a vaccine nor a cure.
How the shot protects you
The arrival of Lenacapavir (LEN) introduces a new mechanism of protection known as a capsid inhibitor. While traditional oral PrEP pills work by stopping the virus from copying its genetic material, Lenacapavir attacks the virus at multiple stages of its life cycle.
Shield block
The drug targets the HIV capsid, the sturdy protein shell that protects the virus’s genetic material. By binding to this shell, Lenacapavir prevents the virus from opening up once it enters a human cell. If the virus cannot uncoat, it cannot release the instructions needed to hijack the body’s immune system.
Multiple attacks
If the virus manages to replicate, the drug works a second time by interfering with the assembly of new virus particles. It forces the virus to create broken shells that cannot infect other cells, effectively dead-ending the spread within the body.
Long-lasting resilience
Unlike daily pills that are quickly processed by the liver and kidneys, Lenacapavir is designed to stay in the body’s fat tissues and release slowly over time. This slow-release formula is why a single injection under the skin of the abdomen provides a full six months of protection.
Can it fail?
While clinical trials showed near-perfect efficacy, with zero infections among thousands of women in sub-Saharan Africa, experts noted two infections during global testing.
Medical researchers found that these rare cases were linked to a specific mutation that makes the virus resistant to capsid inhibitors. While the risk is statistically minute, health officials stressed the importance of regular testing. Since the drug is new, there is currently no widespread resistance in the general population, making it one of the most powerful tools available to end the HIV epidemic in Kenya.
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