July 20, 2011

Dear Advocates,

We're pleased to announce the release of Capitalizing on Success: Investment in HIV Prevention R&D in 2010—the seventh annual report on HIV prevention research funding prepared by the HIV Vaccines and Microbicides Resource Tracking Working Group (RTWG) led by AVAC: Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention, in partnership with the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative, the International Partnership for Microbicides and UNAIDS.

Download the report.

The report tracks the public, philanthropic and commercial investment in biomedical HIV prevention in 2010 including preventive and therapeutic HIV vaccines, microbicides, oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), adult male circumcision, treatment as prevention, prevention of vertical transmission, HSV-2 suppression and prevention, and the female condom.

Given the global funding environment, the Working Group was surprised to find that overall investment in HIV prevention R&D had actually increased, with the modest exception of a 1 percent decline in vaccine R&D. HIV vaccines continued to receive the majority of funding, with a total of US$859 million. Investment in microbicides was US$247 million, an increase of 5 percent from 2009 levels. Funding for PrEP increased by 12 percent over 2009 levels to US$58 million.

The stability in funding is encouraging, given the continuing effect of the global recession on public sector economies. Yet, at no previous time during the pandemic has the HIV prevention research field found itself in a better position to capitalize on so many promising opportunities given the results from the HPTN 052, Partners PrEP and TDF2 trials. And it is unclear whether sufficient resources have been allocated to make the rapid and strategic decisions that the field needs to move forward. The Working Group identified several areas of concern, including escalating costs of late-stage clinical research, dependency on a small group of funders, limited commercial sector involvement and a lack of diversity in funders.

The document provides critical background for anyone advocating for funding for biomedical prevention research. Visit the Working Group's website (www.hivresourcetracking.org) to download Capitalizing on Success: Investment in HIV Prevention R&D in 2010 and to view additional Working Group reports.

As always, please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments.

Best,

AVAC