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This section is devoted to some of the issue areas related to HIV vaccine and prevention research that AVAC focuses on and are vitally important for advocates, community members, researchers and policymakers.
AIDS vaccine research post-STEP
In September 2007, immunizations were stopped--due to a finding of futility--in two trials of Merck's vaccine candidate, MRK-Ad5. Subsequent data analyses from the trials--STEP and Phambili--suggest that the vaccine may have made some volunteers (those with pre-existing immunity to Ad5, the vaccine's vector) more susceptible to acquiring HIV infection. This has been the subject of much discussion, and has been highlighted as the field currently debates the merits of a proposed efficacy trial, PAVE 100, which would test a different Ad5-vectored vaccine with a DNA prime, as part of a prime-boost strategy.
Background papers, advocacy messages, organizational statements and meeting reports related to STEP, Phambili and PAVE 100 can be found here. Additional materials will be added as they become available.
PrEP
Pre-exposure Prophylaxis or "PrEP" refers to an experimental HIV prevention strategy that would use anti-retrovirals to protect HIV-uninfected people from HIV infection. PrEP is not proven to work; in the strategy that is currently being tested, HIV-negative people would take a single drug, or a combination of drugs, daily in hopes that this would protect them against HIV infection. Along with AIDS vaccines and microbicides, PrEP is one of the experimental HIV prevention strategies being tested in clinical trials today.
- Learn about the basics of PrEP research, where clinical trials are happening, advocacy issues and more at www.prepwatch.org.
- Read AVAC's first report on PrEP research, "Will A Pill A Day Prevent HIV?" and look for the upcoming update, "Tenofovir and Beyond: Where Are We Now?"
Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise
The Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise is an alliance of independent partners from the major scientific, funding and policy organizations involved in AIDS vaccine research and development. The idea first emerged in a June 27, 2003 Science magazine policy forum where 24 leaders in HIV vaccine research, addressed the need for a high-quality collaborative AIDS vaccine research system as the most effective way to move forward the effort to development an effective AIDS vaccine. And thus, the Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise was born.
Resource Tracking
The HIV Vaccines and Microbicides Resource Tracking Working Group was established in 2004 to generate and disseminate high-quality, detailed and comparable data on annual investments in preventive HIV vaccine and microbicide research and development (R&D), and policy and advocacy activities. These data can be used to monitor current levels of effort; identify trends in investment, spending, and research focus; identify areas needing more resources and effort; assess the impact of public policies aimed at increasing investment in new prevention technologies (NPTs); and provide a fact base for policy advocacy on R&D investments and allocations. The Working Group is comprised of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition (AVAC), the Alliance for Microbicide Development (AMD), the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative (IAVI) and the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).
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