Kampala, Uganda: Ugandan biotech firm Dei BioPharma, led by scientist Dr. Matthias Magoola, has announced plans to locally manufacture Lenacapavir (Yeztugo), a revolutionary HIV treatment recently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
While the new injectable HIV-1 capsid inhibitor currently costs $28,000 per year in Western markets, Dei BioPharma revealed it will produce and supply it across Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for less than $50, a historic move for global health equity.
“HIV is a serious threat to Africa, but at a high cost, the treatments are unaffordable. This will be the first complete treatment of HIV in Africa,” the company said in a June 22 press release.
The drug, administered once every six months, marks a major leap in HIV prevention for vulnerable populations, especially in Africa.
Dei BioPharma aims to launch within 18 months, leveraging Uganda’s LDC status under the TRIPS agreement to produce and distribute the patented treatment generically until 2034.
The development comes in the wake of widespread criticism of the drug’s high price by global health advocates led by UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, who called on Gilead Sciences, the drug’s developer, to reconsider its pricing model.
“If this game-changing medicine remains unaffordable, it will change nothing,” Byanyima warned. “We urge Gilead to drop the price and expand access.”
Vision Backed by Museveni, Driven by Innovation
President Yoweri Museveni, in his recent State-of-the-Nation Address, named Dei BioPharma a flagship national investment in Uganda’s emerging “pathogenic economy.” On April 13, 2025, he met with Dr. Magoola’s team and pledged full government support, including accelerating licensing for locally made vaccines and pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Magoola, who was recently honored with Uganda’s “Faces of Science” accolade, said the firm’s progress is due in part to President Museveni’s consistent support of indigenous scientific innovation. “We are grateful for the government’s unwavering backing, particularly from the President himself,” he said.
Beyond the HIV drug, Dei BioPharma is also developing vaccines and treatments for malaria, tuberculosis, diabetes, sickle cell, and Alzheimer’s, and has secured a patent for a universal vaccine against Foot and Mouth Disease.
Under Dr. Magoola’s leadership, the firm is constructing a multi-billion-dollar pharmaceutical industrial park in Matugga, designed to supply affordable, WHO-compliant drugs and vaccines across the developing world.
Dr. Magoola is a full member of Sigma Xi, a global society of elite scientists. He has received international awards, including the African Excellence & Personality Awards (Ghana), Ratna Pharma Awards (India), and was named by Silicon Valley Review as one of the Top Pharma CEOs to Watch in 2025.
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