The European Commission has formally approved a twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV, paving the way for its rollout across the European Union, Euro News reported, citing drugmaker Gilead. The new treatment comes amid a rise in HIV cases across parts of Europe.

The approval follows a recommendation last month from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) for the first-of-its-kind medicine, which has been hailed as a game-changer in the fight against the HIV epidemic, Euro News added. The drug, called lenacapavir, is a form of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) that prevents the virus from replicating and spreading within the body, reducing the risk of acquiring HIV among both adults and adolescents.

In clinical studies, the jab was 100 per cent effective at preventing the virus, prompting experts to call it one of the biggest medical breakthroughs of 2024, Euro News reported. Lenacapavir will be sold as Yeytuo in the European Union, Norway, Iceland, and Liechtenstein. It will be the first twice-yearly PrEP option available, replacing the need for daily pills.