New agreement cuts the price of life-saving malnutrition treatment by 30%, enough to reach a million more children without spending a single new donor dollar. Agreement between the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and Indian manufacturer Vista Fortifoods shows affordable procurement of Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) is achievable Boston, USA - CHAI has secured a new price of US$32.50 per box for RUTF, the peanut-based paste that is the standard treatment for severe malnutrition in young children - about 30 percent below the average price, and the lowest price available for RUTF today. Indian manufacturer Vista Fortifoods has committed to the price for governments, NGOs, and humanitarian agencies buying for the public sector across dozens of low- and lower-middle-income countries. Acute hunger has doubled over the past decade, with catastrophic hunger up ninefold since 2016 and two famines declared in 2025 alone[i]. At the same time, a collapse in nutrition funding has been projected to cut off nutrition support for 15.6 million people across 18 countries, including more than 2.3 million severely malnourished children[ii]. At this price, even a modest shift - just 10 percent of current spending moving to this rate - would be enough to reach a million more children with treatment, without a single new donor dollar. "Severe wasting affects around 12 million children worldwide and is one of the leading causes of death in young kids, but it is entirely treatable," said CHAI CEO Dr. Neil Buddy Shah. "We've secured a historic new price for that treatment, 30 percent below the global average and the lowest available anywhere. At that price a million or more children can recover and live healthy lives." The price holds for orders of at least 30,000 boxes and is 30 percent below UNICEF's most recently published global average of US$46.70 per box. Buyers cover their own freight and logistics from Vista's factory, so total cost will still vary by destination. The lower price doesn't come with a quality tradeoff: Vista is approved by UNICEF's Supply Division and produces to UNICEF's technical specification and Codex food safety guidelines, under certified manufacturing and hygiene standards. CHAI's focus now is making sure donors, health ministries, and implementing partners know the price exists and use it. This deal builds directly on CHAI's work with the Eleanor Crook Foundation, where a 2024 procurement achieved the same 30 percent price reduction. Thanks to that partnership, Ghana has more than doubled the number of malnourished children receiving treatment. This new agreement shows that a substantial reduction in RUTF pricing is not only sustainable but can be scaled to reach more countries. "We've seen what affordable pricing does in practice, which has the effect of ensuring affordable essential medicines, including RUTF," said Dr. Edward Bright Agyekum, Director, Procurement & Supply Chain Directorate, for Ghana's Ministry of Health. "Thanks to stronger partnerships including that of suppliers, similar to this, more children in Ghana are receiving life-saving treatment for malnutrition. Children who would have gone untreated due to stockouts related to high pricing, are alive and recovering today. Any country that gets access to a lower price can expect the same kind of impact." "Our experience with CHAI in Ghana proved that strategic procurement can dramatically reduce the price of RUTF and help reach more children with lifesaving treatment," said Dr. Yashodhara Rana, President of Programs, Eleanor Crook Foundation. "This new agreement shows that this success is not limited to Ghana; it can be scaled to other countries, saving more lives and potentially shifting market dynamics for the better." RUTF is the World Health Organization's recommended first-line treatment for severe wasting, the deadliest form of child malnutrition, affecting roughly 12.2 million children globally at any given time. Nine in ten children who complete treatment recover within four to six weeks[iii]. Because it needs no water, refrigeration, or preparation, it can reach children even in conflict zones and remote areas where hospital care isn't possible. About the Clinton Health Access Initiative The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and improving health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries by enabling governments and the private sector to strengthen and sustain quality health systems. www.clintonhealthaccess.org

Freddie and CHAI launch "PrEP it Forward" to expand global access to HIV prevention. The new partnership will provide one six-month dose of injectable PrEP in Africa for every new PrEP patient who starts care through Freddie in Canada or the United States. TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 6, 2026 - Freddie, one of North America's leading 2SLGBTQ+ healthcare platforms, today announced a new partnership with the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) to launch PrEP it Forward, an initiative that connects HIV prevention efforts in North America with expanded access to long-acting HIV prevention across Africa. Through the program, every person who starts PrEP through Freddie in Canada or the United States will fund one six-month dose of lenacapavir, the breakthrough twice-yearly injectable form of PrEP, for someone in Africa, delivered through CHAI's existing partnerships with government HIV programs already reaching patients on the ground. The partnership brings together Freddie's expertise in expanding access to PrEP across North America with CHAI's longstanding work to improve access to innovations in HIV care globally, creating a model that links every new PrEP start through Freddie to increase access to HIV prevention in Africa. "From the beginning, we knew Freddie's mission couldn't stop in North America," said Amaan Banwait, Co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer at PurposeMed, Freddie's parent company. "Our first responsibility was building access to PrEP across Canada and the U.S., but we always envisioned a future where every step forward we took could help someone else gain access to care. As we became a leader in offering injectable PrEP, partnering with CHAI felt like a natural next step because they're doing the same work globally that we've been focused on here at home." The partnership was informed by Freddie's growing leadership in injectable PrEP, including lenacapavir and CHAI's work accelerating access to the medication across low- and middle-income countries. Existing relationships, including team members with previous experience at CHAI and conversations between leadership at both organizations, helped bring the collaboration to life. "We're excited about this partnership because it does something genuinely new: it turns one person's decision to protect their own health into protection for someone thousands of miles away," said Dr. Neil Buddy Shah, CEO of CHAI. "Freddie built its work protecting people from HIV in North America, and now they're extending that protection to people at risk across the world. Every person who starts PrEP through Freddie helps protect someone at risk in Africa. With a breakthrough like lenacapavir - nearly 100 percent effective, and now more affordable thanks to CHAI and our partners - that solidarity is how we end the HIV epidemic everywhere ." Although significant advances have transformed care, HIV remains a significant public health challenge. New HIV diagnoses continue to rise across North America, and many countries in sub-Saharan Africa continue to experience some of the world's highest HIV incidence rates. At the same time, fewer than one in four people who could benefit from PrEP currently receive it, and access to long-acting options like lenacapavir remains constrained by affordability and supply in many parts of the world. "Lenacapavir has the potential to fundamentally change HIV prevention because it removes one of the biggest barriers people face with PrEP, the need to take a pill every single day," said Banwait. "We've seen firsthand how transformative this innovation can be for patients in North America. Through this partnership, we have an opportunity to help accelerate access globally by supporting an organization with the expertise, relationships and infrastructure to bring this medication to the communities that need it most." While PrEP has often been associated primarily with the 2SLGBTQ+ community in North America, a community Freddie has proudly served since its founding, the global HIV epidemic affects a wide range of populations, including women and many underserved communities. Through PrEP it Forward, Freddie hopes to broaden public understanding that HIV prevention is for anyone who could benefit from it. "People are increasingly aware that access to healthcare isn't something everyone can take for granted," added Banwait. "If you're fortunate enough to have access to care, this campaign gives you a simple way to help someone else access that same opportunity. We also hope it broadens the conversation around who PrEP is for. Freddie will always be proud of our roots serving the 2SLGBTQ+ community, but HIV doesn't affect just one population. Prevention should be available to everyone who can benefit from it, regardless of where they live." Freddie and CHAI will celebrate the program's early impact on December 1, 2026, in recognition of World AIDS Day, with a special event planned in the United States, at a location to be announced soon. The gathering will bring together healthcare leaders, advocates, partners and supporters to mark the initiative's progress and highlight the shared commitment to making HIV prevention more equitable around the world. About Freddie: Freddie (gofreddie.com) is the #1-rated online PrEP clinic in North America, and a leading telehealth platform built for the 2SLGBTQ+ community. With over 50,000 patients served across North America, Freddie provides accessible, judgment-free care across HIV prevention, sexual health, and an expanding range of health treatments through a seamless mix of online and in-person care. Freddie currently operates across Canada in Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan, as well as across all 50 U.S. states, helping patients access affirming healthcare without the traditional barriers often associated with care. About Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI): The Clinton Health Access Initiative, Inc. (CHAI) is a global health organization committed to saving lives and improving health outcomes in low- and middle-income countries by enabling the government and private sector to strengthen and sustain quality health systems. For more information, please visit: www.clintonhealthaccess.org Media Contacts: Tony Koutoulas, Media Specialist, Freddie, [email protected]