Some comments about PrEP

After the recent radio interview with NP it was clear to me that they are pursuing with more urgency the PrEP venue while simultaneously slowing down a bit in Mono. The reasons for the latter might very well be purely financial, however the PrEP indication seems to be a good low-hanging and politically correct venue. The financing seems to be in a solid foot (Thai and U.S. via Army and/or Gates foundation) and can bring a large amount of public exposure to the company.

Apart from that there is the money: Gilead’s Truvada generated $3 billion last year worldwide and, in light of the continuing revenue decreases have been an important support for the company. The loss of exclusivity in Europe triggered the advanced deployment of Descovy where TAF was replaced with TDF (GILD is in a dispute with the US government who claims that Truvada infringes Federal patents).

However, with the new drug (Descovy) serious side effects may include ( https://www.descovy.com/ ):
Kidney problems, including kidney failure. Your healthcare provider should do blood and urine tests to check your kidneys before and during treatment with DESCOVY. If you develop kidney problems, your healthcare provider may tell you to stop taking DESCOVY.
Too much lactic acid in your blood (lactic acidosis), which is a serious but rare medical emergency that can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: weakness or being more tired than usual, unusual muscle pain, being short of breath or fast breathing, stomach pain with nausea and vomiting, cold or blue hands and feet, feel dizzy or lightheaded, or a fast or abnormal heartbeat.
Severe liver problems, which in rare cases can lead to death. Tell your healthcare provider right away if you get these symptoms: skin or the white part of your eyes turns yellow, dark "tea-colored" urine, light-colored stools, loss of appetite for several days or longer, nausea, or stomach-area pain.

Enter GSK’s Cabotegravir, a long-lasting injectable candidate for PrEP who is completing a second phase 3 trial in treatment-naïve patients.
However, investigators on 2 studies found that the burden of having to visit a health care provider regularly to receive the injections as well as concerns about the injection’s efficacy may be a deterrent for some individuals.
Also, as well the secondary effects …

Bottom line: There is a market out there for grabs for a safe drug that does not have also the problems with secondary effects and compliance (Descovy Is a once a day pill, Cabotegravir will be a once a month injection, if approved).

Back to the money: “ according to new reports from Citi Research. They argue that the U.S. market for HIV prevention drugs, PrEP, will be $5.5 billion by 2030. ”

So … here we go !!. There is a market out there where Lero can certainly compete …and do good deeds. So CYDY's efforts on PrEP are very well placed.