KAMPALA, Uganda — Ugandan biotechnology firm has announced it plans to manufacture active pharmaceutical ingredients for drugs protected by global patents—starting with a newly approved HIV treatment that currently costs tens of thousands of dollars per year.
Dei Biopharma has confirmed it intends to produce Lenacapavir (Yeztugo), a novel HIV-1 capsid inhibitor developed by Gilead Sciences, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on June 18, 2025.
While the drug’s current price is $28,000 per year, Dei Biopharma stated, in a press release on Sunday, June 22, that it “will be able to supply the same product to all LDCs for less than $50.”
“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,” Dei BioPharma said in a press statement.
The company plans to launch the new drug within 18 months and is “expanding its API manufacturing to similar, expensive, and urgent products, serving the needs of developing countries as the first company in the world to do so.”
Uganda is listed as a Least Developed Country (LDC) in the patent-free country category under the TRIPS Agreement of the United Nations until 2034, allowing it to produce generic versions of patented drugs for its own use and for export to other LDCs.
The announcement comes as global health advocates, including Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, have repeatedly highlighted the exorbitant costs of essential medicines, particularly for diseases prevalent in developing nations.
Byanyima has often condemned the high prices set by pharmaceutical companies, arguing they create significant barriers to access and exacerbate health inequalities, especially for life-saving treatments like those for HIV.
“UNAIDS has seen research that lenacapavir can be produced for just $40 per person per year, falling to $25 within a year of roll out. It is beyond comprehension how Gilead can justify a price of $28,218. If this game-changing medicine remains unaffordable, it will change nothing. I urge Gilead to do the right thing. Drop the price, expand production, and ensure the world has a shot at ending AIDS,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Byanyima.
The new medicine is administered by injection once every 6 months and is a significant step in improving prevention options for people at risk of HIV infection around the world.
Dei Biopharma is led by Uganda scientist Dr. Matthias Magoola, who was on Friday awarded the national “Faces of Science” in Uganda accolade for his outstanding contribution to biotechnology and pharmaceutical innovation in Uganda.
Dr. Magoola recently published a scientific paper on RNA-based cancer vaccines in the peer-reviewed journal Cancers.
Under his leadership, Dei Biopharma has also filled over 100 patents with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for various therapeutic interventions, including a CAR-T cell immunotherapy for cancer that it claims will cost less than $100 per patient, compared to current treatments costing over $500,000.
Dr. Magoola has received several international accolades for his work, including the African Excellence & Personality Awards (ACEPA) in Accra, Ghana, and the Ratna Pharma Awards in India earlier this year.
Under his leadership, Dei BioPharma has continuously won international innovation awards and was last year listed as the winner of the best pharma company at the African Excellence Awards, organized by MEA Markets, based in London, UK.
Dr. Magoola has also been nominated and confirmed a full member of Sigma Xi, a prestigious society that brings top world scientists together.
Founded in 1886, Sigma Xi’s goals aim to honor excellence in scientific investigation and encourage cooperation among researchers in all fields of science and engineering.
Many of the world’s most influential scientists, such as Albert Einstein, Linus Pauling, Barbara McClintock, and Sally Ride, have been members of Sigma Xi.
Dr. Magoola, too, was also last year recognized by the Silicon Valley Review as one of the upcoming pharmaceutical CEOs to watch in 2025.
Dei Biopharma is currently developing a multi-billion-dollar drug and vaccine production facility in Matugga, outside Kampala.
Its research portfolio covers diseases such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, sickle cell disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s.
Dr. Magoola also secured a U.S. patent in January for a universal vaccine against Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD), a significant livestock ailment.
Dr. Magoola attributes much of his success to ongoing support from the Ugandan government, especially President Yoweri Museveni.
Speaking recently, he said: “We are grateful for the support from the government, and especially His Excellency President Yoweri Museveni, for his unwavering backing of Ugandan scientists and in particular the Dei Biopharma initiative. Without this leadership, our progress would not have been possible.”
President Museveni, during the State-of-the-Nation Address, listed Dei Biopharma as one of Uganda’s flagship investments in the emerging pathogenic economy.
At a meeting with Dr. Magoola’s team on April 13, 2025, the President pledged full support to accelerate licensing of locally produced vaccines for global use. He also reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fast-track the National Drug and Health Products Act, a critical step for the National Drug Authority (NDA) to attain WHO Maturity Level 3 status, which enables international regulatory recognition of Ugandan-made pharmaceutical products.
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