Investing.com -- Shares in Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ:GILD) rose in early US trading on Thursday after the pharmaceutical group announced that a Phase 3 trial of its HIV drug reduced infections of the disease.
In a statement, Gilead said that twice-yearly use of its injectable treatment, lenacapavir, led to 96% fewer infections compared to background HIV levels in patients who were not on any prevention regimen. The trial included a wide range of individuals who have had sex with partners assigned as male at birth, Gilead added.
Lenacapavir demonstrated "superiority" to existing daily pill Truvada, the company noted, echoing findings earlier this year in a study of HIV infections in women.
An independent committee recommended that Gilead halt the trial because the drug had exceeded efficacy forecasts.
“With such remarkable outcomes across two Phase 3 studies, lenacapavir has demonstrated the potential to transform the prevention of HIV and help to end the epidemic,” said Daniel O’Day, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Gilead.
Truvada is already being used as in a prevention regimen known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and as a treatment for HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus. HIV damages cells in a person's immune system and weakens their ability to fight everyday infections, according to the UK National Health Service.
Lenacapavir, which has branded as Sunlenca, has already garnered US approval as a drug for heavily pre-treated HIV patients.
O'Day said that Gilead will now "work urgently with regulatory, government, public health and community partners to ensure that, if approved, we can deliver twice-yearly lenacapavir for PrEP worldwide, for all those who want or need PrEP.”
Gilead added that the data from the two trials will support upcoming regulatory filings "so that [...] lenacapavir for PrEP, if approved, can be made available to multiple populations and communities around the world who are most in need of additional HIV prevention choices."