Uganda has received its initial consignment of 19,200 doses of Lanacapavir, a long-acting injectable medication designed to prevent HIV among individuals at substantial risk of acquiring the virus.
The Ministry of Health confirmed that the medication, which is administered every six months, will be distributed to districts with high HIV burden and incidence starting March 2026.
This rollout is part of a strategic effort to curb new infections using targeted preventive tools.
Lanacapavir is an investigational long-acting HIV integrase inhibitor, designed for both treatment and prevention of HIV.
Unlike daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) pills such as tenofovir/emtricitabine, Lanacapavir is administered as a subcutaneous or intramuscular injection every six months, improving adherence for populations that may struggle with daily medication.
The drug works by blocking HIV integrase, an enzyme the virus needs to insert its genetic material into human DNA.
By inhibiting integrase, Lanacapavir prevents the virus from establishing infection in host cells, effectively lowering the risk of acquiring HIV when given to HIV-negative individuals.
Lanacapavir was developed in the mid-2010s by pharmaceutical companies working on next-generation HIV prevention.
Its first clinical trials began in 2017, testing safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy among people living with HIV and HIV-negative volunteers.
The Capella trial evaluated Lanacapavir for treatment of multidrug-resistant HIV, while LATTE-2 and other PrEP-focused trials assessed long-acting dosing for prevention.
Results from these trials demonstrated that six-monthly injections were safe, well-tolerated, and maintained sufficient drug levels to block HIV infection, making it one of the longest-acting PrEP options globally.
Since 2023, Lanacapavir has seen limited rollouts in high-burden countries in Africa and North America, initially targeting populations with adherence challenges or high-risk exposure, such as sex workers, adolescent girls and young women, and men who have sex with men.
The drug has been included in WHO guidance for long-acting PrEP as part of a broader combination HIV prevention strategy.
The Ministry of Health said the initial shipment from the Global Fund will target districts with high HIV incidence.
The phased rollout is designed to maximize reach in areas with greater transmission rates while complementing existing PrEP and treatment programs.
Current national HIV statistics indicate that Uganda’s adult prevalence (ages 15–49) has continued its downward trend, standing at 4.9 percent in 2024, with an estimated 1.5 million people living with HIV nationwide.
Recent data also show declines in new infections and Aids-related deaths over the past decade, reflecting sustained progress in the national HIV response, even as targeted interventions like Lanacapavir strengthen prevention efforts.