Breakthroughs Blog: HIV/AIDS

Photo: AVACYesterday, May 18, marked the observance of World AIDS Vaccine Day­­–an annual event to focus attention on the need for a vaccine to prevent HIV infection and AIDS. Although three decades have passed since HIV and AIDS were first identified, more than 1.5 million people still die from AIDS and millions of others contract HIV each year. Despite advances in treatment and prevention, for every three people put on treatment, four others contract HIV. An AIDS vaccine is an important part of a long-term strategy to end the AIDS epidemic. Today, more government institutes, nonprofits, academic research labs, and pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies than ever before are engaged in the global effort to develop a vaccine. The road ahead may prove long and bumpy, but recent breakthroughs in science and technology have boosted confidence that an AIDS vaccine is achievable and on the horizon. Sustained political and financial support is critical to translating this promise into a product. See the infographic below from AVAC for key numbers that indicate the progress that has been made toward the development of an AIDS vaccine.

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. Joanne Carter—executive director of RESULTS Education Fund—writes about the negative impact the proposed fiscal year (FY) 2015 federal budgets cuts could have on the development of new treatments for tuberculosis (TB). The President’s FY 2015 budget has proposed a $45 million cut—or 19 percent reduction—to the US Agency for International Development’s TB budget. On the occasion of the first meeting on the world’s Global Health Security Agenda this week, Tom Frieden—director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)—and Andy Weber—assistant secretary of defense—wrote a feature on CNN about why global health security matters to the US. They highlight the $40 million commitment by CDC and the Department of Defense to enable its 12 partner countries to strengthen their ability to prevent, detect, and effectively respond to infectious disease threats worldwide. The International Partnership for Microbicides (IPM) announced this week that it has received the exclusive worldwide rights to dapivirine—a promising HIV prevention medicine—from Janssen R&D Ireland, one of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson. This represents an expansion of IPM’s existing rights to develop, manufacture, and bring to market dapivrine-based products for women in resource-poor countries. The Washington Post Innovations Blog notes five reasons why we should be worried about the future of American innovation. It discusses how unstable and inadequate spending on research and development will stymie the future of scientific research and innovation. This week, the Council of the European Union approved the participation of the European Union in the second program of the European & Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership. The second program will support all stages of clinical trials, from Phase I to IV, for HIV and AIDS, TB, malaria and neglected tropical diseases. The Washington Post Editorial Board argues that time is short to address antibiotic resistance in response to the World Health Organization’s warning last week that resistance to antibiotics has become a “major threat to public health.” The article notes that the overuse of antibiotics has bred drug resistance and that few new antibiotics are in the development pipeline to remedy the problem.

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. A new report sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation examines the need for post-market surveillance for new drugs and vaccines in low- and middle-income countries. The report is based off the findings from the Safety Surveillance Working Group, and provides recommendations stakeholders should take to strengthen post-market surveillance of global health products. The University of South Florida’s Center for Drug Development and Innovation, and the College of Public Health’s Department of Global Health have been awarded a grant of $2.1 million from the National Institutes of Health. The focus of the research will be to see how parasites, like malaria, grow. At a recent event in Washington, DC, US Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Rajiv Shah underscored the agency’s commitment to public-private partnerships. According to Devex, 40 percent of USAID’s resources are programmed through public-private partnerships. New studies show that patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) and HIV and AIDS have a higher chance of living if they take simultaneous treatment for both diseases, as oppose to waiting to take HIV and AIDS treatment. The initial study was small in size, but concurs with three previous major studies of people with regular TB and HIV and AIDS.

In this regular feature on Breakthroughs, we highlight some of the most interesting reads in global health research from the past week. Researchers at Rice University have developed a rapid malaria test that uses laser pulse—eliminating the need to draw blood. The test has been found safe in healthy humans and will soon be tested on humans with malaria symptoms. The White House has nominated Dr. Deborah Birx as the next Global AIDS Coordinator and to lead the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Dr. Birx is currently the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Global AIDS Program and works on PEPFAR implementation at her agency. The US Agency for International Development and GHTC member Population Council have entered into an agreement to develop a non-antiretroviral-based microbicide to block HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. If successful, the partnership could offer a low-risk, easily accessible product for women in low- and middle-income countries. According to the results of an early-stage clinical trial, patients with multi-drug resistant (MDR) or extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB) could be treated by using stem cells taken from their own bone marrow. If successful, the treatment could be an alternative for patients with MDR- or XDR-TB who do not respond to conventional drug treatment options.