From the FDA Drug Label
SUNLENCA is a prescription medicine that is used with other human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) medicines to treat HIV-1 infection in adults SUNLENCA® (sun-LEN-kuh)(lenacapavir)tablets SUNLENCA® (sun-LEN-kuh)(lenacapavir)injection What is SUNLENCA? SUNLENCA is a prescription medicine that is used with other human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) medicines to treat HIV-1 infection in adults:
Another name for Lenacapavir is Sunlenca 1.
From the Research
Lenacapavir is also known by its brand name Sunlenca, with both names referring to the same medication, a first-in-class capsid inhibitor used in the treatment of HIV-1 infection, particularly in heavily treatment-experienced adults with multidrug-resistant HIV-1 2. The medication works by blocking the HIV capsid protein, which is essential for viral replication.
- Lenacapavir is notable for its long-acting formulation, allowing for less frequent dosing compared to many other HIV medications.
- It's primarily used in treatment-experienced patients with multidrug-resistant HIV infection.
- The medication is available as both tablets for oral administration and as a subcutaneous injection, with the injectable form providing extended duration of action, up to every 6 months 3. Understanding that lenacapavir and Sunlenca are the same drug helps avoid confusion when discussing treatment options with healthcare providers. Key characteristics of lenacapavir include its high potency, lack of cross-resistance to existing antiretroviral classes, and a favorable safety profile, as demonstrated in clinical trials 2, 4. The most recent and highest quality study, a Phase 2/3 trial, showed that lenacapavir in combination with an optimized background regimen resulted in a high rate of virological suppression over 104 weeks in heavily treatment-experienced people with multidrug-resistant HIV-1, with a favorable safety profile 2.