On Jul. 24, 2026, Merck announced it has signed seven voluntary licensing agreements ​with generic drug manufacturers to make and sell lower-cost versions of its ‌experimental once-monthly oral HIV pill in 129 low- and lower-middle-income countries. The drug, alimatravir, is currently in late-stage development. Merck said it is investing early in its product manufacturing capacity as ​trials continue.

Merck said the agreements are with three sub-Saharan ​Africa manufacturers – Aspen Pharmacare, Quality Chemical Industries and UCL – and four ⁠Indian companies, which are Aurobindo, Cipla, Emcure and Viatris. The royalty-free agreements with ​these companies cover both the public and private sectors and will enable supply of ​generic alimatravir in these 129 countries that account for a substantial majority of new HIV diagnoses globally, the drugmaker said.

In 2024, Gilead Sciences granted royalty-free licenses to six generic drug manufacturers to make ​and sell cheaper copycat versions of its HIV prevention medicine, ​lenacapavir, in ⁠120 low and lower-middle income countries.

The World Health Organization has urged governments and drugmakers to improve access to affordable HIV medicines, including through voluntary licensing and greater generic ⁠competition.

About ​40.9 million people globally were living with HIV ​in 2025, with the sub-Saharan Africa accounting for more than half of all the people living with HIV ​worldwide, according to UNAIDS data.