CROI 2022: Global Advocates Offer Insights and Directions on the Science and Next Steps Needed

On Wednesday, April 27, 9:30-11:00am ET, join the CROI Community Liaison Subcommittee, AVAC, and European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) for a webinar to debrief this year’s Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections. Following a brief overview of some of the most notable science presented at CROI 2022, a panel of community discussants from around the world will unpack findings from the conference, share perspectives, and offer advocacy suggestions. Topics will span science presented on HIV prevention and treatment, HIV and aging, HIV cure, and COVID-19 — among other topics.

Recorded CROI 2022 sessions are now available to all on demand. Recordings from the series of research updates held during CROI — Margarita Breakfast Clubs — are available here.

The webinar discussants are:

Harry Tembo, Zambia Community Advisory Platform, Zambia
Katie Willingham, The Well Project, United States
Richard Jefferys, Treatment Action Group, United States
Shobha Shukla, Citizen News Service, India
Simon Collins, i-Base and EATG, United Kingdom

CureROAR: Supporting advocacy in HIV cure research

AVAC is excited to announce its CureROAR program, a new initiative to support partners in HIV cure research and advocacy. CureROAR offers mentorship, peer support, networking opportunities and technical assistance. Ten veteran health advocates are the inaugural group to join the program, and together they bring a range of expertise on global health and HIV prevention, including PrEP implementation, sexual and reproductive health, advocacy for key populations, LGBTQ and TG rights, women’s empowerment and more. They are health care providers, educators, advocates and leaders. Meet AVAC’s CureROAR members.

Research for an HIV cure is in a robust period of scientific investigation. Several cure strategies are being explored, while understanding of the HIV reservoir and other key scientific concepts is also advancing. This progress in HIV cure research, as part of a pipeline of biomedical tools to help end the epidemic, must be supported and guided by an advocacy agenda that puts communities first. CureROAR members will dive into the science of cure strategies. The direction of research, the interventions that come from those efforts, and policies and programs to deliver them, must reflect the needs and priorities of the diverse populations that will benefit from a cure. Bringing the lens of seasoned advocates to HIV cure research is fundamental to ethically advancing the field today. And when a cure strategy proves itself, it is knowledgeable, ready advocacy that will ensure the fruits of science reach those who need them most.

CureROAR is part of AVAC’s larger program of HIV cure initiatives, including managing the community engagement activities of the REACH, PAVE and I4C Collaboratories, which are among the ten NIH-funded Martin Delaney Collaboratories for HIV Cure Research (MDC). Interested in learning more? Check out the recording from the April webinar: Breaking Down The Latest in HIV Cure Research: What do new data mean for people with HIV.

For getting more involved, contact jessica@avac.org.

New Resources on the Science from CROI, the Ring, DPP and More!

In this week’s roundup, you’ll find details on an upcoming webinar covering the stand-out science from CROI 2022; an important read on vaccine equity; new resources to support advocacy for the dapivirine vaginal ring; resources for learning about and advocating for the Dual Prevention Pill; and a special tribute to Zena Stein.

Webinar: The most notable science at CROI

Wednesday, April 27, 2022 at 9:30am ET/15:00 SAST
Join us, the CROI Community Liaison Subcommittee, and European AIDS Treatment Group for a webinar to debrief on this year’s CROI. A fabulous panel will unpack findings from the conference, share perspectives, and offer advocacy suggestions. Topics will span science presented on HIV prevention and treatment, HIV and aging, HIV cure, and COVID-19. Register here. Recorded sessions from CROI 2022 are now available on demand. For context on the sessions, the recordings from the Margarita Breakfast Clubs explore findings from the research of the day at CROI.

Read Vaccine equity: The rollout that needs a booster shot

An opinion piece in The Hill newspaper by AVAC Executive Director Mitchell Warren points out connections in global health that cut across disease and must be addressed for biomedical products to reach those who need them most. “COVID-19 has shown us the fragility of our efforts to end diseases in places where poverty is entrenched…. We invest hundreds of millions in large trials but nothing similar on how to disseminate the results…. This is not unique to any one disease: We have seen it in the lack of global vaccine equity in the COVID-19 response and we’ve seen it in TB and HIV…. We are achieving breakthroughs in developing new medicines and vaccines, but we are failing to deliver them with equity and with impact. It is well past time to do better.”

Important Voices: Ring user speak out

A video series, developed by the USAID-funded MOSAIC Project, features the voices of women from trials in Kenya, South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe that tested the dapivirine vaginal ring. Trial participants explain why the ring works for them and their need for future access to this HIV prevention method.

Watch This Space: HIV and unintended pregnancy prevention

Last week, AVAC and FP2030 held a consultation on the Dual Prevention Pill (DPP), a daily pill that is currently being developed for the simultaneous prevention of unintended pregnancy and HIV acquisition. The webinar brought in dynamic perspectives from the family planning and sexual & reproductive health communities. Be sure to keep this on your radar, as there will be more opportunities at AIDS2022 to learn more, get your questions answered and develop advocacy priorities for this promising multipurpose technology. Currently, the DPP is moving through the R&D process and could be available as early as 2024. It would be the first MPT available. Get more details on the DPP on PrEPWatch.org.

Listen: Life and legacy of Zena Stein

To reflect on the legacy of Zena Stein, a public health, human rights and HIV prevention champion who influenced so many working in HIV prevention, the editor of the American Journal of Public Health produced a video-podcast conversation with CAPRISA’s Quarraisha Abdool Karim and AVAC’s Mitchell Warren.

New COVID-19 Vaccines Trials in Sub-Saharan Africa

Join us on April 6, 2022 10am ET for a special webinar on the Ubuntu trial, hosted by the COVID Advocates Advisory Board (CAAB) and our Coalition to Accelerate and Support Prevention Research (CASPR). Led by the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), Ubuntu is a new, landmark COVID-19 vaccine trial in sub-Saharan Africa investigating the efficacy of mRNA vaccines in people living with HIV against the omicron variant.

COVID-19 GPP Resources: A deep dive for advocates

While there are a number of resources that address stakeholder engagement in COVID-19 research, some may not adequately reflect the needs of advocates. Join a conversation reviewing resources for advocates’ needs and shaping future resources!

This discussion will be moderated by AVAC’s Jessica Salzwedel.

Role of Advocates in Prevention Trials — Chilufya Kasanada, TALC
Essential Principals and Practices for GPP Compliance — Cathy Slack, HAVEG
GPP Resources & Implementation in Solidarity — Nina Gobat, WHO

Register here.

Breaking Down the Latest in HIV Cure Research: What do new data mean for people living with HIV

Join a conversation with researchers as they break down the recent case of HIV cure, the first among women. Speakers will also provide updates from an ongoing trial studying pediatric remission. Join to learn what these advances mean for science and for people living with HIV.

8am PT / 11am ET / 5pm SAT / 6pm EAT

Featuring:

Dr. Yvonne Bryson, University of California at Los Angeles
Dr. Deborah Persaud, Johns Hopkins University
Bridgette Picou, The Well Project CAB Co-Chair and Columnist “Being Bridgette” Positively Aware Magazine

Join Us This Week for Important Conversations

Three important conversations are happening this week: in HIV cure research, in COVID vaccines and in Good Participatory Practice (GPP). These discussions help set agendas and direct resources, so please consider joining one or all of them. We’ve also included links to important news and publications.

Breaking Down the Latest in HIV Cure Research
Tuesday, 5 April at 11am ET/5pm SAST
At CROI 2022, a number of exciting updates on HIV cure research were announced, including the most recent case of HIV remission after a stem cell transplant. Join a conversation with researchers as they break down the recent case of HIV cure, which is the first such cure in a woman. Speakers will also provide updates from an ongoing trial studying pediatric remission. Join to learn what these advances mean for science and for people living with HIV. Register here.

COVID-19 GPP Resources
Wednesday, 6 April at 9am ET/3pm SAST
While there are some resources that address stakeholder engagement in COVID-19 research, they may not adequately reflect the needs of advocates. Join AVAC and partners for a conversation to discuss advocates’ needs and shape the development of future resources. Register here.

New COVID-19 Vaccines Trials in Sub-Saharan Africa
Wednesday, 6 April at 10am ET/4pm SAST
Join us for a special webinar on the Ubuntu trial, hosted by the COVID Advocates Advisory Board (CAAB) and our Coalition to Accelerate and Support Prevention Research (CASPR). Led by the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN), Ubuntu is a new, landmark COVID-19 vaccine trial in sub-Saharan Africa investigating the efficacy of mRNA vaccines in people living with HIV against the omicron variant. Register here.

Must Reads

Now Open Access: Stakeholder Engagement Must Overcome Tokenism and More
The ethics review process is a crucial opportunity for stakeholder engagement. A new article by AVACer Jessica Salzwedel, CASPR partner Cathy Slack and other co-authors appears in the Journal of Empirical Research on Human Research Ethics and explores three themes that can make or break effective engagement: “It’s Almost as if Stakeholder Engagement is the Annoying ‘Have-to-do’…”: Can Ethics Review Help Address the “3 Ts” of Tokenism, Toxicity, and Tailoring in Stakeholder Engagement?

Possibility of Voluntary Licensing for Injectable Cabotegravir for PrEP
Over the past month AVAC has worked with a wide range of advocates calling for faster and more strategic introduction of injectable PrEP, and several public statements were released. Read statements from a leading group of Southern African Women Advocates and two from AfroCAB: Communities demand ViiV/GSK accelerate access to CAB-LA in LMICs and ViiV continues to not meet our demands to ensure CAB-LA is accessible for our communities. Then today, Viiv Healthcare, the maker of injectable cabotegravir, announced that it is working with the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) to outline a path forward for voluntary licensing of their product. ViiV said this path will include “an assessment of future demand and necessary manufacturing capacity and capability as well as upstream requirements for potential generic manufacturing partners.” Stay tuned for our updated call to action and roadmap to ensure injectable PrEP and the dapivirine vaginal ring get introduced faster and more strategically.