An injection with the potential to stop the HIV pandemic heads to the European market, introduced by Gilead Sciences, a long-term partner of IOCB Prague
1 September 2025
The injection, which prevents transmission of the HIV virus, has been approved by the European Commission. According to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), the drug, which patients need only twice a year, is highly effective. Compared with current medicines known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), which usually must be taken daily, this represents a significant advance.
Czech virologist and biochemist Tomáš Cihlář, who serves as vice president for virology at Gilead Sciences, contributed to the development of lenacapavir. His ties to IOCB Prague are close and have historical roots: he completed his doctoral studies here under the supervision of Ivan Rosenberg and Ivan Votruba. Speaking with Czech media, Cihlář has said that with sufficient coverage, the drug could protect the public against the spread of HIV.
“Tomáš Cihlář, a student of Antonín Holý, is just one example showing that top-level science and medicine transcend both time and oceans.”
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IOCB director, Professor Jan Konvalinka
IOCB Prague has maintained a long-standing collaboration with the American pharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences. They are connected by the strong story of chemist Antonín Holý, whose famous molecule tenofovir became the foundation for the development of HIV drugs. The patents of A. Holý and physician Erik De Clercq, together with the extraordinary commitment of Gilead founder John C. Martin, led to one of the greatest successes in the fields of chemistry and medicine. Drugs against HIV and hepatitis B continue to save millions of lives around the world.
Commenting on this, IOCB director Professor Jan Konvalinka noted: “The partnership of Antonín Holý, physician Erik De Clercq, and John C. Martin – known in the scientific world as the Holy Trinity – is not just a matter of history. To this day our institute collaborates with Gilead Sciences on various projects. Tomáš Cihlář, a student of Antonín Holý, is just one example showing that top-level science and medicine transcend both time and oceans.”
Lenacapavir will be sold in Europe under the brand name Yeytuo. Regulatory authorities in the United States approved it in June under the name Yeztugo. The European Commission’s final approval applies to all 27 EU member states as well as Norway, Liechtenstein, and Iceland. Before the drug reaches patients, Gilead Sciences must negotiate pricing and reimbursement conditions with the healthcare systems of each of the countries mentioned.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), nearly 40 million people have been infected with HIV. The aim of WHO initiatives and affiliated institutions is to end the HIV pandemic by 2030, which also includes improving access to preventive drugs such as PrEP.
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