August 5, 2020
In the midst of harrowing trends in COVID-19 and growing concerns about its impact on HIV, HIV research has brought welcome good news. From a positive opinion on the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring, efficacy data on long-acting injectable cabotegravir (although limited to MSM and transgender women), and advocacy opportunities to demand the integration of HIV services with sexual and reproductive health, HIV prevention is making important strides in 2020. This round-up of new resources on AVAC.org and PrEPWatch.org features tools and information to advance prevention advocacy right now.
A Giant Step for the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring, What’s Next?
Understanding the EMA Opinion and Next Steps for the Dapivirine Vaginal, AVAC’s primer on the status of the ring after the EMA’s positive opinion, background on the relevant research and advocacy for what must happen next.
A webinar on Wednesday, July 29 brought together leading advocates and representatives from the ring’s developer (IPM) and WHO to talk about next steps on the regulatory process and implications for rollout.
On AVAC.org’s dedicated page for the dapivirine vaginal ring find links to key resources for advocacy.
AVAC’s debut episode of Research Fundamentals, on our podcast Px Pulse, explores the concept of partial protection. What is Partial Protection, an 11-minute episode on how and why an intervention can offer imperfect but still useful protection.
CAB-LA Shows Efficacy in One Trial, Results Coming Soon in Another
On AVAC.org’s page on long-acting injectable cabotegravir find a background on the research to date, including two trials testing this long-acting PrEP option, HPTN 083 & 084. Put the research in context with a host of additional resources found there.
An Advocates’ Primer on Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir for PrEP, AVAC’s primer for understanding the results of HPTN 083 and the status of HPTN 084, explores unanswered questions and next steps for advocacy.
A Conversation About Long-Acting PrEP for Cisgender Women, this discussion between Sinead Delany-Moretlwe, HPTN 084 Study Chair and Awelani Neluonde, CAB Member, was part of AVAC’s Research Literacy Networking Zone at AIDS 2020.
A Conversation About Long-Acting PrEP for MSM & Transgender Women, this discussion between Raphael Landovitz, HPTN 083 Study Chair and AVAC’s Jessica Salzwedel was part of AVAC’s Research Literacy Networking Zone at AIDS 2020.
Priorities for Advancing HIV/SRH Integration
Visit www.srhintegration.org, a joint initiative between AVAC and FP2020, which features a video series One Expert, One Question, One Minute, with key stakeholders framing the priorities for integration. There’s also a recording of a July 30th webinar, One Year After ECHO: Innovation in the time of COVID. And find links to a host of resources to inform your advocacy.
Thinking About Better PrEP Rollout?
Easier and Equitable Access to PrEP: How DSD Can Help Get Us There, by AVAC’s Jessica Rodrigues, Director of Product Introduction and Access, and published on the IAS blog devoted to differentiated service delivery (DSD), makes the case for expanding PrEP access with this user-centered approach, and using DSD for PrEP as a model for future prevention products.
See data on PrEP uptake in a whole new way with AVAC’s Global PrEP Tracker, showing dynamic trends over time. Download the Excel version of the Tracker for additional information on targets, programs, drug registration status, all sortable by country. Updated quarterly.
A Look at the Pipeline
The Years Ahead in Biomedical HIV Prevention Research provides an updated snapshot of the status of key biomedical HIV prevention strategies in research and development.
At this moment in the epidemic of COVID-19, many people who need HIV prevention products and services are struggling, and the stakes are high—will the world lose hard-won gains against HIV? But stakeholders in research are persevering with success and advocates are leveraging the day-to-day challenges to continue to demand the products people need today and in the future. We hope you’ll use these resources to tell the story, protect the global gains against HIV and push for more at this critical time.