Study Finds Lenacapavir Could Be Produced for $25 Annually, Expanding Access for HIV Prevention

New research showed that lenacapavir—currently priced at more than $28,000 annually—could be mass produced for as low as $25 per person a year, potentially making the injectable readily available to more people who are at risk of or are living with HIV. Andrew Hill, PhD, of the University of Liverpool in London, England, presented the research team’s findings during IDWeek 2025.¹

In 2023, 1.3 million people acquired HIV, which makes affordable prevention access critically essential, according to Hill.

The researchers used Key Starting Materials (KSMs) from June 2025, obtained from vendors, to estimate the cost of producing lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injection that reduces HIV transmission to almost zero. They analyzed the active pharmaceutical ingredient cost of goods (API COGs) and projected finished pharmaceutical product (FPP) pricing under a cost-plus steady-state model for 2-5 million treatment-years. The researchers included formulation, labor, 30% profit, and 27% taxation in the numbers.

Using these methods and vendor data, the team projected production costs across multiple manufacturing scales. They observed a significant decrease in KSM costs. Moreover, the researchers said API COGs of $6,340-$8,921/kg are achievable for a committed demand of 2 million treatment-years.

A generic version of lenacapavir pre-exposure prophylaxis could be manufactured for $35 to $46 a year for 2 million people, according to projected costs. For 5 million people, the cost would be reduced to $25 per person, the researchers said.

“Lenacapavir is the closest thing to a vaccine for HIV available to people at risk of infection, yet its unsustainable cost prevents millions from accessing it,” Dr. Hill shared in a press release.² “Our analysis demonstrates how manufacturers could prioritize both equitable access and profits in tandem and realize the full potential of lenacapavir to end the HIV epidemic.”

Reference

1. Fairhead C, Fortunak J, Layne J, et al. Generic lenacapavir HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis could be produced for $25 per person per year. 174. Presented at: IDWeek 2025, Oct. 19-22, 2025, Atlanta, GA.
2. HIV Preventive Treatment Could Be Sold for One Thousandth of Current List Price. Press Release. Infectious Diseases Society of America. Oct. 19, 2025. Accessed Oct. 28, 2025. https://www.idsociety.org/news–publications-new/articles/2025/hiv-preventive-treatment-could-be-sold-for-one-thousandth-of-current-list-price/