Overview
Sunlenca is approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection in adults who have previously received many HIV treatments and whose current therapy is not working due to drug resistance, intolerance, or safety concerns. To be eligible for Sunlenca, a person must have multidrug-resistant HIV-1 and be experiencing treatment failure. Sunlenca is also known by its drug name, lenacapavir.

Sunlenca is a capsid inhibitor, a type of antiretroviral drug that interferes with the capsid (protein shell) that protects the virus’s genetic material. It is believed to work by blocking multiple stages of the HIV life cycle, reducing the virus’s ability to replicate and spread in the body.

How do I take it?
Prescribing information states that Sunlenca is taken using one of two initiation regimens, followed by maintenance injections every six months. Initiation may include a combination of oral tablets and subcutaneous (under the skin) injections over a 15-day period. After the initial phase, a person typically receives two injections every six months (26 weeks), within a window of approximately two weeks from the previous dose. Sunlenca tablets may be taken with or without food. The medication should be taken exactly as prescribed by a healthcare provider.

Side effects
Common side effects of Sunlenca include nausea and injection site reactions, such as skin discoloration, pain, or swelling where the shot was given.

Rare but serious side effects may include immune reconstitution syndrome (a condition where the immune system suddenly becomes more active, which may lead to inflammation), long-lasting presence of the drug in the body that may increase risk of drug interactions, and serious injection site reactions due to incorrect administration (such as injecting into the skin rather than under it). People taking this drug should also be monitored for potential drug interactions due to increased exposure to other medications that are processed by the same enzyme (CYP3A).

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Label: Sunlenca — Lenacapavir Sodium Tablet, Film Coated; Sunlenca — Lenacapavir Sodium Kit — DailyMed