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.

Interpreting PEPFAR Data: A look at Zimbabwe

In this centerspread taken from Px Wire, our quarterly newsletter, we take a closer look at Zimbabwe’s data, and highlights amfAR’s detailed country factsheets that draw from PEPFAR’s giant data sets. Additional tools and information on influencing the COPs process are available from COMPASS partner Health GAP’s PEPFAR Watch.

From the Trenches, Advocates Share Their Prevention Priorities

In this episode of Px Pulse, our monthly podcast, we bring you two different conversations, each throwing a spotlight on different aspects of HIV prevention advocacy today. You’ll hear how the AVAC Partner Forum brought key issues into focus and how these advocates are sharpening their strategies. Then we turn to a global effort to accelerate prevention.

What’s Next for the Dapivirine Ring

In March, initial results from the two open-label trials of the dapivirine vaginal ring (HOPE and DREAM) showed that adherence and efficacy improved over the earlier Phase III trials. Open-label studies, unlike Phase III studies, do not use a placebo, and all participants know they are using an intervention with evidence of a certain level of HIV protection. The ring is also advancing along the pathway to licensure. If approved, it will be the next major prevention option available since the US FDA approved oral PrEP in 2012.

The dapivirine vaginal ring is made of silicone and inserted in the vagina releases the antiretroviral drug, dapivirine, over the course of a month to protect against HIV.

In this episode of Px Pulse, Zeda Rosenberg of the International Partnerships for Microbicides, which developed the ring, explains the latest findings and spells out how, when, where and if the ring might become an available tool. A trial participant and community leader in Uganda, Ruth*, pulls back the curtain on the ups and downs of using the ring, and a Ugandan investigator with the REACH study, Carolyne Akello of the Makere University-Johns Hopkins University Research Collaboration, explains the importance of the this trial, the next step in testing the potential of this monthly vaginal ring for young women.

*Last name withheld for confidentiality.

Deprioritizing Women’s Lives in 2017

This short excerpt from our AVAC Report 2017 contains two stories: an update on hormonal contraception and HIV risk, including what to look out for in 2018, and an explanation of the damage caused by the Trump Administration’s expanded Global Gag Rule, preventing any organization receiving US global health funding from advocating for abortion as a family planning method.

Three Perspectives, Two Trials and One Big Goal

With more efficacy trials underway today than ever before in HIV prevention research, this episode of Px Pulse zooms in on two that have most recently launched: one of two trials testing a long-acting injectable antiretroviral called cabotegravir (HPTN 084), and the study of a “mosaic” vaccine developed by Janssen Pharmaceuticals (HVTN 705/HPX2008).

Px Wire January-March 2018, Vol. 11, No. 1

In this issue of Px Wire, we take a hard look at a host of major milestones coming up toward ambitious global targets for ending the epidemic. We also include detailed infographics on showing the status of oral PrEP rollout in the countries where trial sites are located, explaining the demographics of Africa’s “youth bulge” and its implications for the global response and more.

Target Tracking for Epidemic Control

Calculating progress toward the UNAIDS Fast Track Goals is complex but ambitious targets are the best kind. AVAC has long argued they propel action even if they aren’t met. But when it comes to achieving epidemic control, progress must be properly calculated, and can never be confused with success.

Appearing in Px Wire, this is a modified version of a graphic appearing in AVAC Report 2017.