Fourteen countries in Latin America and the Caribbean can now buy lenacapavir, an HIV prevention injection given twice a year, through the Pan American Health Organization. PAHO announced the pathway on September 16, under an agreement with Gilead Sciences, using its Regional Revolving Funds.
The eligible countries are Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela. Each still has to clear its own national regulatory and programmatic processes before it buys anything.
Why the region needs more options
About 140,000 new HIV infections occur each year in the region. Lenacapavir is a long-acting form of pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP. The World Health Organization recommended it in 2025 as an additional prevention option after clinical trials showed almost 100% efficacy in preventing infection. Dosing twice a year gives an alternative to people who struggle with more frequent regimens.
The revolving funds pool demand from member states and support reliable procurement on favorable terms. The new route sits beside voluntary licensing agreements that already cover 24 countries in the region, part of a global framework covering 120. Between them, PAHO says, countries now have two ways to get the drug.
Local production, later
Gilead has also committed to advance a technology-transfer process in Brazil, aimed at producing lenacapavir locally one day. That work is still under development, and no timelines or mechanisms have been set. Over the longer term, more regional capacity could improve availability and make procurement more sustainable.
“Today, the Americas have increasingly effective tools to prevent HIV, but these innovations will have an impact only if they reach the people who need them,” said PAHO Director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa. Johanna Mercier, Chief Commercial & Corporate Affairs Officer at Gilead, said the agreement shows a shared commitment to help countries move quickly from scientific innovation to real-world access.
What happens next
Introduction into national HIV programmes will be gradual. It depends on regulatory approval, clinical protocols, health-worker training and planning, and PAHO is offering technical help with needs assessment, guidelines and monitoring. The encouraging part is that a twice-yearly option now has a route to clinics. Anyone considering PrEP should consult their doctor.
