Cabotegravir, an injection that prevents HIV, may enter the SUS by the end of the year

The Unified Health System (SUS) may begin offering, later this year, a new form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention. It is the medication cabotegravir, which prevents the replication of the virus for a prolonged period and can be administered every two months.

Next week, the Ministry of Health will send to the National Committee for the Incorporation of New Technologies in the SUS (Conitec) the request for the inclusion of cabotegravir in the list of medications. Conitec, an independent collegiate body, will evaluate aspects such as cost-benefit before recommending its offer to the public.

The Minister of Health, Alexandre Padilha, informed that the government is in negotiation with the pharmaceutical company GSK, producer of cabotegravir, to define the final price and the quantity of doses to be acquired. According to the minister, the proposal presented by GSK has an “adequate price” and was chosen over another medication, lenacapavir, which offers protection for six months but was considered financially unfeasible.

Although Brazil participated in clinical trials for lenacapavir, it is not part of the voluntary licensing agreement signed by Gilead, which allows for the production of generics in 120 countries. Gilead, however, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (Fiocruz) to explore technology transfer opportunities that could facilitate access to the medication in the country and the region.

Oral PrEP is already available in the SUS, with more than 350,000 people benefited. Studies conducted by Fiocruz and companies like ViiV Healthcare and GSK demonstrate that the cabotegravir injection shows higher adherence: 83% of participants preferred the injection and 94% attended the health service on the correct date, maintaining protection throughout the treatment. In real-world studies, the annual HIV infection rate with cabotegravir was only 0.1%.

The launch of the injection in the SUS could reinforce the HIV prevention strategy in Brazil, contributing to the drop in infections and deaths from AIDS. The final decision of the Ministry, after evaluation by Conitec, should be made later this year, bringing a new option of prolonged protection for the population at risk.