As the year winds down, we wanted to take a look back at some of the top scientific discoveries that happened in 2024. From groundbreaking medical advances, major space exploration, and ancient genetics, here are some of the year's most exciting advancements.
1. HIV Prevention Drug Lenacapavir Has Shocking Results
In 2022, health organizations across the globe, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S., approved the drug lenacapavir as a treatment for HIV/AIDS. In 2024, the results of two drug trials sponsored by lenacapavir’s maker, Gilead Sciences, saw that the drug had a 96 percent success rate in one trial, while the other trial showed a 100 percent success rate.
Lenacapavir can be used as a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), and would be administered as a subcutaneous shot, given twice a year. It's similar to Truvada — a once daily pill that can help prevent HIV/AIDS. Taking pills can sometimes be less effective since not everyone remembers to take them every day, making the shot a good alternative.
Lenacapavir targets HIV’s capsid protein, the shell that protects a virus’s genetic material. As more research is done on this drug, it’s possible that other vaccines that attack the capsid proteins of other viruses could emerge.
