HIV vaccine research is a multifaceted endeavor that requires collaboration across many disciplines to develop a vaccine that protects people from HIV infection. The graphic outlines the different areas of research that are being pursued, including vaccine platforms, immune system research, clinical research capacity, and community engagement.
Excerpted From Lab to Jab.
As of Q3 2023, the top five West and Central African countries for PrEP initiation have surpassed 10,000 initiations; Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana and Nigeria. Nigeria has marked almost 550,000 cumulative initiations as of this quarter, ranking it second, behind South Africa, worldwide. These milestones can be credited to targeted PEPFAR investments. But despite these successes, West and Central Africa make up only 14 percent of PrEP initiations recorded in Africa, compared to 85 percent reported by East and Southern Africa. These same countries are home to two thirds of all people living with HIV in West Africa. There is vital work to be done to close the gap.
West and Central Africa can and must continue to leverage this recent growth in oral PrEP by making additional HIV prevention options available. In September, Nigeria’s regulators approved injectable cabotegravir (CAB for PrEP)—approving the first new biomedical HIV prevention option in a West and Central African country since oral PrEP. But at this time, only one other CAB for PrEP application has been submitted in the region, in Côte d’Ivoire, and none for the dapivirine vaginal ring (DVR). Only one CAB for PrEP implementation study is planned for the region.
Excerpted from PxWire Volume 13, Issue 4.
PEPFAR’s role has been instrumental to accelerating global uptake of PrEP to date. In 2023, four countries started providing PrEP for the first time, and seven countries exceeded 70,000 new PrEP initiations, most of which are attributable to PEPFAR. This lifesaving, uniquely effective, program must see continued full funding and a 5-year reauthorization to carry on this work and help to put the world on track to control the epidemic.
Excerpted from PxWire Volume 13, Issue 4.
A graphic showing the duration between discovery of the microbiologic cause of selected infectious diseases and the development of a vaccine.
Excerpted From the Lab to Jab.
This dynamic, workshop-style showcase was the first of a series that featured multimedia presentations that took participants through key PrEP resources including: A toolkit to ensure programs related to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and HIV prevention are well designed to reach and support adolescent girls and young women. Comprehensive databases for tracking PrEP uptake, Implementation research and other critical data by product, country, and population.
Small groups had opportunities to take deep dives into each of the above resources, and explore how they might use these in their work. Additionally, participants provided input on what resources are still needed, collaborate on how to improve and disseminate what exists, and support the development of evidence and networks to advance HIV prevention.
Global PrEP Tracker video / Integrated Study Dashboard video / Breaking the Cycle Toolkit video
Dr. Marina Caskey of Rockefeller University and members of the REACH Community Advisory Board hosted a webinar on November 15 to review the current state of HIV cure research. This webinar explored what makes curing HIV so challenging, the strategies being pursued, and what is happening in locally in NYC!
November 15, 10:00 to 11:30 AM ET
The Choice Agenda and partners hosted a fascinating discussion about a novel, much-needed HIV prevention research study – HPTN 096 on November 15. Currently in the field, the study addresses social, structural, institutional, and behavioral barriers to HIV prevention and care. Visit the study website here.
Speakers (list in formation):
Prof. LaRon E. Nelson. Yale School of Nursing; HPTN 096 Protocol Co-Chair
Christopher Hucks-Ortiz, HPTN Black Caucus Chair
Dr. Cedric Pulliam, HPTN 096 Community Strategy Group
Abraham Johnson, HPTN 096 Research Advisor
Moderators:
Riko Boone, Treatment Action Group
John Meade, AVAC
Co-sponsored by PrEP in Black America and Federal AIDS Policy Partnership Research Working Group
Produced and hosted by Jeanne Baron
People who are pregnant or lactating (PLP) have historically been excluded from research because of concerns for the developing fetus. But this has led to a dearth of data on new interventions against health threats for this population. In the case of HIV, pregnancy raises the risk of acquiring HIV by up to three times, but providers often do not have the data to know whether a new intervention is safe or how it will work for pregnant patients. As a result, PLP and their physicians are left to make difficult decisions around the use of proven HIV prevention products as they await more data specific to pregnancy and lactation.
But change is in the air. Champions for the inclusion of PLP in research are paving the way for a paradigm shift—one that will redefine this population from needing protection from research to being better protected through research. In this episode of Px Pulse, AVAC’s Manju Chatani-Gada takes us through conversations with a trial participant who became pregnant, researchers, policymakers and donors to understand why this population gets excluded, the impact it has and what to do about it.
Tune it to hear:
Links:
Advocacy Resources:
AVAC’s Wawira Nyagah and Kate Segal co-authored a comprehensive manuscript on a demand generation approach for the DPP (Dual Prevention Pill) including findings from research with potential users, male partners, and healthcare providers.
Read the abstract below and the full published research article here.
Multipurpose prevention technologies (MPTs) combining contraception with HIV prevention offer a promising solution to uptake and adherence challenges faced with oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). The Dual Prevention Pill (DPP), which combines oral PrEP with an oral contraceptive pill (OCP), could address unmet need for family planning (FP) and HIV prevention. This study aimed to identify barriers and motivators for DPP uptake to inform the development of a DPP demand generation strategy and broader introduction efforts for MPTs.
This document stems from a March 2023 consensus meeting in Paris involving regional and international HIV prevention organizations and activists. Four main pillars were identified to promote new PrEP technologies and expand access to long-Acting injectable PrEP in Europe. These pillars should be implemented simultaneously and also aim to broaden PrEP accessibility beyond LA-CAB.