EVENT:
Please join us on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, for a digital press briefing on an update to PEPFAR’s commitment to reach up to 2 million people globally by 2028 with the breakthrough HIV drug Lenacapavir. The briefing will detail the first delivery of Lenacapavir in Eswatini and will include remarks by State Department Senior Official Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom, Jeffrey Lewin; Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, U.S. Embassy Eswatini, Marc Weinstock, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Gilead Sciences, Daniel O’Day and Executive Director of the Global Fund, Peter Sands.
On September 4, the U.S. government, in partnership with the Global Fund, committed to co-funding the purchase of the drug lenacapavir, a new and extremely effective HIV prevention injection that only has to be taken twice a year, for distribution to up to 2 million individuals in 8-12 high-burden HIV countries via the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Manufactured by Gilead Sciences, an American company, lenacapavir has the potential to significantly reduce new HIV infections, particularly among pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Following the delivery of the first shipment of lenacapavir to Eswatini under this initiative, the call participants will discuss next steps toward fulfilling this important commitment, and the America First Global Health Strategy, which aims to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous while saving millions of lives around the world. After opening remarks, call participants will take questions from participating journalists.
DETAILS:
Speakers:
- State Department Senior Official Under Secretary for Foreign Assistance, Humanitarian Affairs, and Religious Freedom Jeffrey Lewin
- Chargé d’Affaires, ad interim, U.S. Embassy Eswatini Marc Weinstock
- Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Gilead Sciences Daniel O’Day
- Executive Director of the Global Fund Peter Sands
Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Time: 16:00 Johannesburg | 14:00 GMT | 09:00 Washington, D.C.
Language: English
Ground Rules: The briefing will be on the record
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Background: Media Note and Fact Sheet
LOGISTICS:
- Participants should log in to join the conference 10 minutes early.
- Participants will be asked to type in their name, press affiliation, and location.
- The speakers will give brief opening remarks, and then the moderator will open the floor to questions.
- Journalists may submit written questions in advance when registering on Eventbrite or via e-mail to afmediahub@state.gov.
- Participants will be instructed to type their questions or indicate to the moderator in the chat if they wish to ask a live question.
- If you experience technical difficulties during the briefing, you may send an e-mail to afmediahub@state.gov to alert the moderator to any issues.
- A transcript will be available to registered journalists following the briefing.
