A revolutionary oral monthly pill designed to prevent HIV, alimatravir (also known as MK-8527), produced by Merck Sharp & Dohme (MSD), is currently undergoing highly promising phase three trials. If these trials prove successful, this medical advancement could introduce a powerful new tool to the HIV prevention toolbox, bringing the world closer to ending the AIDS pandemic.
UNAIDS has publicly commended MSD for its proactive early access plan, which helps partners prepare for manufacturing and delivery long before the drug hits the market. MSD has announced voluntary licensing agreements with generic pharmaceutical manufacturers—including three key facilities in Africa—to produce the once-monthly oral candidate. Early planning for financing, demand forecasting, and regulatory readiness is deemed just as vital as the scientific innovation itself to ensure new technologies reach people rapidly and equitably.
Ensuring Equitable Global Access
“Scientific innovation has the power to change the trajectory of the AIDS pandemic, but only if it reaches everyone who needs it,” stated Angeli Achrekar, Deputy Executive Director of UNAIDS. “If alimatravir proves to be safe and effective and receives regulatory approval, manufacturing must be rapidly scaled up and the product made affordable and accessible in low- and middle-income countries from day one. No one should have to wait years for life-saving HIV prevention.”
UNAIDS highlighted MSD’s proposed partnerships with Aspen Pharmacare in South Africa, Quality Chemicals Industries Limited in Uganda, and Universal Corporation Limited in Kenya. If the trials succeed, these agreements will present an unparalleled opportunity to strengthen Africa’s local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity. This strategy aligns perfectly with the UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy, which calls for health sovereignty through local production, regional manufacturing, and pooled procurement commitments—a goal reaffirmed in the 2026 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS.
Addressing the Ongoing Public Health Threat
Despite remarkable progress in antiretroviral-based HIV prevention, millions of people—particularly adolescent girls, young women, and marginalized populations—still lack access to effective options. In 2025 alone, 1.2 million people acquired HIV, and over 570,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses. In sub-Saharan Africa, approximately 3,100 adolescent girls and young women acquire the virus every week.
Expanding health choices through the introduction of alimatravir, alongside sustained investments in community-led services and stronger health systems, will be essential to ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. UNAIDS continues to call on governments, global health partners, and communities to accelerate production and remove barriers delaying access to vital prevention tools.
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