Aspen Ditches Lenacapavir Plans for Merck's Experimental HIV Pill

South Africa's biggest pharmaceutical manufacturer, Aspen Pharmacare, has withdrawn from government plans to locally produce Gilead Sciences' HIV prevention shot lenacapavir. The company cited a lack of guaranteed demand as the reason for its withdrawal.

Aspen CEO Stephen Saad stated that without promised volumes, the company cannot risk repeating the situation it faced during the COVID-19 pandemic when it partnered with Johnson & Johnson to bottle an Aspen-branded version of its vaccine for Africa but received no orders.

The SA National Aids Council (Sanac) remains undeterred in its plans to improve local security of supply by reducing reliance on imported lenacapavir. Sanac had recommended three pharmaceutical manufacturers, including Adcock Ingram, to Gilead, but declined to name them.

Aspen is now targeting Merck's experimental pill alimatravir, which it sees as a 'really exciting opportunity' due to its ease of administration and wider appeal compared to injectables. Merck announced voluntary licences for alimatravir before the conclusion of phase 3 clinical trials, aiming to boost generic manufacturing capacity before regulatory approval.