BRUSSELS/MEXICO CITY — A significant breakthrough in global health has been achieved with the approval of a generic HIV injection priced at just $40 annually. The development is expected to drastically expand treatment access in low-resource countries and could soon reach the Mexican market.
According to a report in Science magazine, the injection was developed by the Indian pharmaceutical company Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories. It is based on lenacapavir, a medication originally developed by the U.S. firm Gilead Sciences and approved by the FDA in 2025.
The treatment offers protection against the HIV virus for six months, with a recommended regimen of two injections per year for individuals who have not been infected.
A Radical Shift in Accessibility
Dr. Reddy’s is the first of six generic manufacturers to receive the manufacturing license, making it a frontrunner for global distribution. The company has committed to selling the two annual doses for only $40, opening a vital window of accessibility for patients in developing nations.
The price disparity compared to current options is staggering. In the United States, the brand-name version of lenacapavir (marketed as LEN) costs approximately $28,000 per person annually for two doses. Additionally, Gilead agreed to provide the medication to the Global Fund for HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria at a “non-profit” price of approximately $120 per two-dose annual cycle for more than 100 countries. The new generic version from Dr. Reddy’s is poised to become the most affordable alternative on the global market.
Mexico Poised for Launch
Mexico is strategically positioned to commercialize the drug quickly. In September 2026, Mexico’s Federal Commission for Protection against Sanitary Risks (Cofepris) approved the sanitary registration of Gilead’s lenacapavir, following successful evaluations of the product’s quality, safety, and efficacy.
With both the FDA’s approval of the generic version and Mexico’s existing approval of lenacapavir, the probability of the $40 generic drug entering the Mexican territory is very high. This is further supported by the fact that Dr. Reddy’s already maintains a manufacturing and research facility in Jiutepec, Morelos.
While an official launch date has not yet been confirmed, Carolyn Amole, Vice President of the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI)—which helped negotiate the low pricing with Dr. Reddy’s—stated that the goal is to have the product available in several countries before the end of the year.