The drug, lenacapavir, has been named the 2024 breakthrough of the year by the scientific journal Science.

Wesley Sundquist, Samuels professor and chair of biochemistry at the U of U, established the groundwork for the development of a “highly effective, long-lasting” preventative drug against HIV (human immunodeficiency virus). Lenacapavir was developed by Gilead Sciences and provides protection for six months instead of one day, according to a news release issued by U of U Health. The drug reportedly performed exceedingly well in clinical trials, showing to be 96% effective in preventing HIV. The clinical trials involved 3,200 cisgener men, transgender men, transgender women and gender nonbinary people who have sex with partners assigned male at birth.

“Sundquist’s research focuses on understanding how the virus is built on a molecular level and interacts with the body to infect and spread through cells,” the press release states. “By purifying and analyzing the protein shell that surrounds the virus’s genetic material, Sundquist’s team discovered what the shell looks like and how it’s put together.”

The team also discovered the shell of the virus is very sensitive to changes, so making even small changes to the proteins that make up the shell quickly stopped the virus from reproducing.

Gilead Sciences, a pharmaceutical company based in California, was prompted to search for drugs that target the protein, with Sundquist serving as a consultant. Lenacapavir binds the viral protein shell and prevents it from assembling correctly and productively entering the nucleus of host cells.

“Lenacapavir phase three clinical trials for the prevention of HIV transmission have been spectacularly successful,” Sundquist said in the release. “It’s more potent than any drug available, but more importantly, it’s very long-lasting and effective.”

According to the Utah Department of Health and Human Services, since 2020, a total of 2,911 people with HIV were known to be Utah residents. Of those residents, 26% are between the ages of 50 and 59 years old. Those ages 40-49 make up 23% of cases. Those 60 years and older account for 21%, and children and adolescents ages 0-19 account for 1% of those living with HIV. Of the total number, 2,478 are male and 433 are female. The health department’s data doesn’t specify who it classified as male or female.

HIV is a viral infection that attacks the body’s immune system, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Without treatment, the virus can lead to AIDS (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome). The virus is transmitted through bodily fluids, including by sharing needles, syringes or other drug equipment. Symptoms are flu-like and include a sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, rash, muscle aches, night sweats, mouth ulcers, chills and fatigue. The only way to know if you have it is to get tested.

While other pre-exposure prophylactics, or PrEP, must be taken every day, lenacapavir provides protection for six months.

In large clinical trials in South Africa and Uganda, none of the more than 2,000 women who received a dose of lenacapavir contracted HIV during the study. Follow-up trials in men and nonbinary people also have been shown to confirm the drug’s efficacy.

“Lenacapavir almost completely prevents the transmission of HIV into at-risk populations,” Sundquist said. “This is just an amazing result.”