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Health
India Approves Lenacapavir Injection as First HIV Prevention Shot
✍️ Amar Ujala
🗓 24 Aug 2026, 07:39 AM
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The Drug Controller General of India has cleared lenacapavir, the first injectable drug designed to prevent HIV infection, marking a new milestone in the nation’s HIV response.
New Delhi – The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has granted its first approval for an injectable HIV‑prevention product, lenacapavir, signalling a significant advance in the country’s public‑health arsenal against the virus. The decision follows a review of clinical data that demonstrated the drug’s safety and efficacy in reducing the risk of HIV acquisition.
Lenacapavir is a long‑acting antiretroviral administered as a sub‑cutaneous injection, typically given twice a year. Its extended dosing schedule is intended to improve adherence compared with daily oral pre‑exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) regimens.
Health officials say the injection will be offered to populations at elevated risk of HIV, including men who have sex with men, transgender women, sex workers and other key groups identified in the national HIV strategy. By providing a discreet, low‑frequency option, the drug could broaden preventive coverage and help India move closer to its goal of ending new HIV infections.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will now work with state programmes and community organisations to roll out the product, with pilot distribution expected to begin later this year.
Lenacapavir is a long‑acting antiretroviral administered as a sub‑cutaneous injection, typically given twice a year. Its extended dosing schedule is intended to improve adherence compared with daily oral pre‑exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) regimens.
Health officials say the injection will be offered to populations at elevated risk of HIV, including men who have sex with men, transgender women, sex workers and other key groups identified in the national HIV strategy. By providing a discreet, low‑frequency option, the drug could broaden preventive coverage and help India move closer to its goal of ending new HIV infections.
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will now work with state programmes and community organisations to roll out the product, with pilot distribution expected to begin later this year.