As we prepare to commemorate HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) on May 18, the field continues to see some modest scientific breakthroughs, while still facing extraordinary challenges.
Join us as we Commemorate HIV Vaccine Awareness Day
An HIV Vaccine: Looking into the Future with Nina Russell
On HIV Vaccine Awareness Day in 2024, the field is confronting extraordinary breakthroughs and extraordinary challenges.
It’s considered one of the most important and most difficult scientific enterprises in the history of modern medicine—the hunt for an HIV vaccine. It has led to vast knowledge of HIV and the immune system, and to breakthrough technology (think COVID vaccines and mRNA platforms). But developing an effective HIV vaccine is still out of reach. Meanwhile, HIV incidence remains intractably high in hard-hit regions around the world, even as the field is hoping to speed up access to longer-acting PrEP. It’s a complex landscape, alongside incredibly complex science in HIV vaccine R&D.
In this episode of PxPulse, Dr. Nina Russell, Director of TB & HIV Research and Development for the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, talks about where she sees promise in the science, the goals for an HIV vaccine, and why it has an essential role to play, alongside the scale up of PrEP.
Listen
Resources
- Just What is Discovery Medicine? And what Does it Mean for HIV Vaccine Research, May 16 webinar
- HIV Vaccine and Antibody Efficacy Trials to Date, infographic
- From the Lab to the Jab, issue briefs
- Evolving Strategies for an HIV Vaccine: One researcher explains where the field is going and why? (21:23), PxPulse episode
- Research Fundamentals: An HIV Vaccine — What’s the challenge and what’s the science? (12:03), PxPulse episode
Avac Event
HIV, Viral Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections: Progress and gaps
13:00 – 14:30 CEST PM
Please join this webinar being held in the run up to the 77th World Health Assembly.
The World Health Organization (WHO) will launch a publication, which describes progress and gaps identified during the first two years of implementing the global health sector strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) for 2022-2030.
Moderators will ask key leaders in the responses to HIV, viral hepatitis and STIs how we can increase visibility, political will and community activism to accelerate action.
Panelists include:
- Jérôme Salomon, WHO, Switzerland
- Jessica Hicks, World Hepatitis Alliance, United Kingdom
- Maureen Luba, AVAC, Malawi
- Meg Doherty, WHO, Switzerland
- Patty Garcia, Cayetano Heredia University, Peru
- Philippe Duneton, Unitaid, Switzerland
- Sabin Nsanzimana, Ministry of Health, Rwanda (TBC)
The conversation will be moderated by Charles Gore from the Medicines Patent Pool (MPP) and Birgit Poniatowski from IAS – the International AIDS Society.
The webinar is organized by IAS – the International AIDS Society – and its partners, WHO, Medicines Patent Pool and Unitaid.
Cabotegravir Long-Acting Injectable for Prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
Afrocab has developed a FAQ (below) that covers the topics of PrEP and explains how CAB-LA works, is taken, and its side effects.
Diversity, Equity and Access to HIV Research
On May 2, 2024, AVAC staffer Jessica Salzwedel gave a presentation on diversity, equity and access in HIV research at the Ending the HIV Epidemic Conference at Weill Cornell Medicine. Check out the full presentation in PDF format.
“When we think about what engagement is important for research, it involves building systems of trust.” – Jessica Salzwedel
The Years Ahead in Biomedical HIV Prevention Research
This graphic shows the updated status of large-scale prevention trials through the end of 2024.
Media Science Cafes
AVAC Capability Statement
Since 2012, AVAC has worked to strengthen the capacity of journalists to report on HIV prevention research and global health and science topics. Through its flagship Media Science Café Program, AVAC partners with health media associations in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe to connect journalists with subject matter experts—researchers, policymakers and advocates—and help build the relationships needed to foster accurate and informed reporting of HIV, COVID and emerging health and science issues.
Advocacy to Accelerate Prevention R&D for Sexually Transmitted Infections
AVAC Case for Support
AVAC accelerates the development and delivery of STI prevention options by fostering collaborations with STI and HIV research advocates, developing new STI vaccines and diagnostics, and creating tools to monitor STI research and investment activities.
Allocation of Non-Commercial CAB for PrEP Supply in Low- and Middle-Income Countries, 2023-2025
HIV Vaccine and Antibody Efficacy Trials to Date
This infographic provides a comprehensive overview of HIV vaccine and antibody efficacy trials. Over 20 years and 12 trials, only two positive signals have been observed.