Highlights: HIV Research Wrap-Up from AIDS 2020

Last week HIV.gov covered new HIV research coming out of the 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020: Virtual), sharing three video interviews about the latest scientific developments with Carl Dieffenbach, Ph.D., director of the Division of AIDS at NIH’s National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID). For readers’ convenience, we’ve summarized the coverage below so you can catch up on any of the posts or video interviews that you may have missed and share them with your colleagues.

Long-acting, injectable PrEP and a potential case of long-term HIV remission in the absence of antiretroviral therapy: First update from AIDS 2020
In his first AIDS 2020 update, Dr. Dieffenbach discussed two potentially significant findings shared at the conference.

• First, he highlighted final analysis of interim data from the NIH-sponsored HPTN 083 clinical trial which found that an HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) regimen containing an investigational long-acting form of the HIV drug cabotegravir injected once every 8 weeks was more effective than daily oral Truvada (TDF/FTC) at preventing HIV acquisition among cisgender men who have sex with men and transgender women who have sex with men.
• Then, he also discussed the preliminary report of the first possible case of an adult with HIV to achieve long-term remission without a bone marrow transplant.

Research updates on HIV treatment and its effects: Second AIDS 2020 update
In our second interview, Dr. Dieffenbach shared highlights of several studies about antiretroviral therapy (ART) presented at the conference, including:

• Additional data from the Tsepamo study on the prevalence of neural tube defects among infants born to women taking the HIV drug dolutegravir at the time of conception;
• 96-week findings from the South African ADVANCE trial comparing three first-line HIV treatment regimens; and
• Evidence of weight gain caused by different HIV drugs.

HIV vaccine research, the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, and a look to the future: Final update from AIDS 2020
In our final video interview with Dr. Dieffenbach, he discussed:

• An important milestone in an HIV vaccine study and an update on where things stand in that arena,
• A new partnership to expedite development of globally accessible and affordable HIV antibody combination products,
• NIH’s engagement in the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative, and
• A look to what’s on the horizon in HIV research in the year ahead.

Also last week, we shared AIDS 2020 related news from our colleagues at NIAID, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Presidents’ Emergency Program for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR):

• PEPFAR Announces Latest HIV Program Progress and New Investments to Reach More People in Greatest Need
• AIDS 2020 Select Studies of Interest from CDC
• Long-Acting Injectable Form of HIV Prevention Outperforms Daily Pill in NIH Study

The 23rd International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2020: Virtual)Exit Disclaimer took place from July 6-10 and was the first-ever online edition of the world’s largest conference on HIV. The biennial meeting is organized by the International AIDS Society and brings together scientists, policy makers, healthcare professionals, people living with HIV, funders, media, and community.

All of our coverage from AIDS 2020 can be found using the AIDS2020 topic tag.  Follow HIV.gov for continued coverage of advances in HIV research. Read more about Federal HIV research activities and the agencies involved elsewhere on HIV.gov.