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ViiV HEALTHCARE AND AXMED PARTNER TO EXPAND ACCESS TO HIV MEDICINES IN MIDDLE-INCOME COUNTRIES 

  • Agreement will allow local governments and healthcare institutions in over 50 middle-income countries to purchase ViiV Healthcare medicines
  • With most new HIV cases reported in low- and middle-income countries, expanding choice in HIV care options remains a key priority

London, 12 October 2026 – ViiV Healthcare, the global specialist HIV company majority owned by GSK, with Shionogi as a shareholder, today announced an agreement appointing Axmed as a non-exclusive distributor to enable procurement and supply of ViiV Healthcare HIV medicines in more than 50 middle-income countries, subject to applicable local regulatory requirements. This agreement aims to offer a simpler route to access more choice in HIV care to support countries’ HIV response.

Axmed is a technology-enabled business-to-business platform that connects healthcare procurers in low- and middle-income countries with suppliers to provide access to medicines.1 Through their technological solutions, local governments and healthcare institutions in these countries will be able to lower procurement costs and deliver efficient logistics supporting their healthcare systems to stretch resources further and reach more people.2

Middle-income countries often face distinct access challenges, and many are not eligible for some lower-income access mechanisms, leaving people at risk of being left behind.3 This underscores the importance of finding technology-enabled solutions and models to support health systems in expanding access to HIV medicines.

Deborah Waterhouse, CEO at ViiV Healthcare said, “This agreement underlines ViiV Healthcare's leadership in the global HIV response and our deep understanding of the realities in middle-income countries. Shaped by listening closely to communities and governments, this announcement is an important step in supporting them to access more choice in HIV care, strengthen health systems and accelerate progress towards our shared goal of ending the HIV epidemic.”

Emmanuel Akpakwu, CEO and Founder of Axmed said, “The promise of medical innovation is only fulfilled when it reaches the people who need it. Technology gives us an extraordinary opportunity to reimagine how that happens, connecting fragmented markets, unlocking more affordable procurement and streamlining access to vital medicines. Through this agreement with ViiV Healthcare, we are working towards a future where more people can benefit from advances in HIV care, regardless of where they live.”

ViiV Healthcare and Axmed share a commitment to improving access to medicines in countries where health systems face challenges. As the number of people living with HIV continues to rise, this agreement supports ViiV Healthcare’s ambition to broaden access to medicines through partnerships, programmes and technologies.4

About ViiV Healthcare

ViiV Healthcare is a global specialist HIV company established in November 2009 with GSK (LSE: GSK) and Shionogi as current shareholders. The company is dedicated to delivering advances in treatment and care for people living with HIV and for people who could benefit from HIV prevention. ViiV Healthcare’s aims are to take a deeper and broader interest in HIV and AIDS than any company has done before and take a new approach to deliver effective and innovative medicines for HIV treatment and prevention, as well as support communities affected by HIV. Find out more at viivhealthcare.com.

About GSK

GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com.

About Axmed

Axmed is a technology-enabled B2B marketplace and logistics platform that connects buyers, manufacturers, and distributors to streamline procurement and delivery of essential medicines across low- and middle-income countries. By combining pooled demand, data-driven sourcing, and integrated international logistics, Axmed reduces costs, strengthens supply reliability, and expands access to quality-assured healthcare products. 

Learn more at www.axmed.com

ViiV Healthcare enquiries:
Media: Kate Senter +44 (0) 77 9670 7446 (London)
GSK enquiries:
Media: Tim Foley +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)
  Jonny Reilly +44 (0) 20 8047 5502 (London)
  Kathleen Quinn +1 202 603 5003 (Washington DC)
  Stephanie Caccomo +1 202 893 2840 (Washington DC)
Investor Relations: Constantin Fest +44 (0) 7831 826525 (London)
  Joanna Tuplin +44 (0) 7788 351650 (London)
  James Dodwell  +44 (0) 20 8047 2406  (London)
  Mick Readey +44 (0) 7990 339653  (London)
  Sam Piper +44 (0) 7824 525779 (London)
  Dan Smith +44 (0) 7823 523885 (London)
  Jeff McLaughlin +1 215 751 7002 (Philadelphia)
  Frannie DeFranco +1 215 751 3126 (Philadelphia)

Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements

GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described in the “Risk Factors” section in GSK’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2025, and GSK’s Q2 Results for 2026.

Registered in England & Wales:

GSK plc                                ViiV Healthcare Limited
No. 3888792                        No. 06876960

Registered Office:

79 New Oxford Street        ViiV Healthcare Limited
London                                 GSK Medicines Research Centre
WC1A 1DG                            Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage
                                               United Kingdom
                                               SG1 2NY

References:

  1. Axmed. About. https://www.axmed.com/about
  2. Axmed. Impact Report 2025: Building the Infrastructure for Access. 2025.
  3. UNAIDS (2026) Special Report: United to End AIDS, Available at: Global HIV response falters as reemergence looms | UNAIDS
  4. UNAIDS. Fact sheet 2026: Global HIV & AIDS statistics. 2026.

Media contacts

For our corporate press office, email: Kate Senter

OR call +44 7796 707446

For US-specific media enquiries, email: Rachel Jaikaran

OR call +1 9193578932

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the GSK Reporting Tool link https://gsk.public.reportum.com/. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

If you are from outside the UK, you can report adverse events to GSK/ ViiV by selecting your region and market, here.