One Timeline, Two Stories, One Message: Putting trials and targets together

One problem with HIV prevention agendas is that they either live in an eternal present or in a far-off future. It’s “work with what we’ve got, which is condoms and VMMC and a little bit of PrEP”, or it’s “nothing can change without an AIDS vaccine”. The future depends on using what’s available, better and more widely, without ever losing sight of what’s in the pipeline.

As the figures below show, in the very same timeframe that the world will miss its critical target for incidence reduction and scale-up of primary prevention, several trials will release results that could change the future. 2020 will be a time of hope and reckoning. But only if the two stories start to be told as one.

HIV Prevention Research and Demonstration Sites in South Africa

This map demonstrates the breadth of HIV prevention research and demonstration projects in South Africa by site and type (e.g. daily oral PrEP demo projects, ARV-based rings, long-acting injectable PrEP, preventative Vaccines, antibodies, hormonal contraceptives). This map was developed by Wits RHI with support from AVAC as part of the Coalition to Accelerate and Support Prevention Research. This graphic first appeared in AVAC Report 2017: Mixed messages and how to untangle them.

Global HIV Prevention R&D Investment by Technology Category, 2000-2017

In 2017, reported funding for HIV prevention R&D decreased by 3.5 percent (US$40 million) from the previous year, falling to US$1.13 billion. The full report, HIV Prevention Research & Development Investments 2017: Investing to end the epidemic, is available for download. And all the graphics are available as well.

HIV Prevention R&D Trial Participants by Region in 2017

Participation of volunteers and the engagement of communities in which trials take place is essential to conducting HIV prevention research. In 2017, there were nearly 600,000 participants in HIV prevention research trials globally, mostly originating from sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, North America and Asia. A majority of participants were enrolled in research investigating TasP and PrEP, and while there are trials aimed specifically at men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender individuals and people who inject drugs, most of the studies do not specify the need to include members of key populations.

The full report, HIV Prevention Research & Development Investments 2017: Investing to end the epidemic, is available for download.

Investment in HIV Prevention R&D by Top Philanthropic Funders in 2017

Global philanthropic funding increased by 4.1 percent from 2016 levels and amounted to US$164 million, or 14.6 percent of overall funding. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) remained the largest funder and increased its contribution by 6.6 percent, to US$150.2 million. Wellcome Trust investment fell for the fifth consecutive year to an annual US$2 million.

The full report, HIV Prevention Research & Development Investments 2017: Investing to end the epidemic, is available for download.

HIV Vaccine Science, Research, Updates and Advocacy

With HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) in the spotlight earlier this month, AVAC’s May episode of PxPulse features four experts steeped in HIV vaccine research. Together they help set expectations for where the field is now and where it is going.

The Stories of HIV Vaccines in 2018—From science to stakeholder engagement

This four-pager explores stories about stakeholder engagement in the current suite of efficacy trials as well as stories around global support for vaccine research in the age of an expanded HIV prevention landscape.

Vaccines Efficacy Trials: A surge of activity

A picture of the status of vaccine trials since 2003: The four trials shown here represent an unprecedented number of late phase trials underway in vaccines research.

Prevention Research & Oral PrEP Rollout: The evolving context for HIV prevention research

Many of the current or planned prevention trials are taking place in countries where daily oral PrEP is available or will be soon. This infographic shows the status PrEP and the location of scheduled trials by country.

Vaccine and Antibody Trial Participant Recruitment, 2018

A global snapshot of total numbers of participants in trials by country.