Despite tremendous progress in the treatment and prevention of HIV through highly effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), the number of people living with HIV continues to increase due to new acquisitions and the absence of a cure. This highlights the need for HIV vaccine research to prevent HIV acquisitions and for HIV cure research to achieve efficient and durable control of the HIV pandemic.
HIV cure and HIV prevention research have traditionally been seen as distinct. However, there is growing evidence of their synergies. Promising results in HIV vaccine research on broadly neutralizing antibodies support a role for HIV vaccines as part of a cure intervention. Conversely, advances in cure research, such as the characterization of the latent HIV reservoir, provide critical insights for preventive vaccine development.
This satellite aims to explore the role of therapeutic HIV vaccines in developing a functional HIV cure and how this research can contribute to preventive vaccine efforts.