Merck Licenses 7 Generic Drugmakers for Low-Cost Monthly HIV Prevention Pill

3 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Jul 24

Seven generic manufacturers will be allowed to make low-cost versions of Merck’s once-monthly HIV prevention pill alimatravir, aiming to have supplies ready for developing countries if late-stage trial results next year are positive.
Alimatravir is being tested in young women in three sub-Saharan African countries and in a separate global trial involving transgender people and men who have sex with men.
Merck announced the licensing deal as an international AIDS conference opened in Rio de Janeiro, with hopes for new prevention tools tempered by stalled progress in reducing infections.
UNAIDS counted 1.2 million new HIV infections in 2025, while a Clinton Health Access Initiative analysis found oral PrEP starts fell 42% in 10 high-burden African and Asian countries from a year earlier.

Sources

The New York Times5h ago

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Reuters5h ago

Merck licenses experimental HIV pill to generic makers in 129 countries | Reuters

drugpatentwatch.com5h ago

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Could a once-a-month pill finally end the HIV epidemic, or will broken health systems block it from reaching those in need?

Is early generic licensing a true humanitarian breakthrough, or a strategic maneuver to dominate the future HIV prevention market?

Breaking Barriers: Merck’s Early Generic Licensing of Alimatravir for HIV Prevention in 129 Countries

Overview

In July 2026, Merck took a major step in HIV prevention by signing non-exclusive licensing agreements with generic manufacturers in sub-Saharan Africa and India for its once-monthly oral drug, alimatravir. This move allows these manufacturers to quickly prepare for large-scale production and distribution across 129 low- and middle-income countries, bypassing the usual delays. Alimatravir’s easy-to-make oral tablet form and forgiving dosing schedule help users stick to prevention, while regional manufacturing in Africa and India boosts supply resilience and strengthens local health systems. However, some countries are excluded from these agreements, highlighting ongoing access challenges.

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