HIV positives still have hope

Washington, D.C. (September 10, 2014) —
America’s biopharmaceutical research companies
are currently developing 44 medicines and
vaccines for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention,
according to the latest Medicines in Development
report by the Pharmaceutical Research and
Manufacturers of America (PhRMA). A second
report, a PhRMA-sponsored white paper by
Boston Healthcare Associates, Inc. (BHA), “The
Value of Innovation in HIV/AIDS Therapy ”
highlights the progress in HIV/AIDS treatment and
its impact on patients afflicted with the disease.
Both reports are being released in conjunction
with PhRMA’s 2014 Research & Hope Awards ,
which will honor researchers and patient
advocates for their role in improving HIV/AIDS
research and care.
Multiple medical advancements have taken place
since 1981, when the Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention identified the first five cases of
HIV/AIDS. Since anti-retroviral treatments (ART)
were approved in 1995, HIV/AIDS-related deaths
in the United States have dropped by 83 percent,
resulting in a 32 percent decline in HIV/AIDS-
related hospitalizations. These medicines are
improving overall care for patients and are helping
to prevent costs associated with treating the
disease. According to a University of Chicago
study, HIV/AIDS patients today live 15 years
longer than in the 1980s.
“Over the past 35 years, HIV/AIDS has gone from
a death sentence to a chronic, manageable
disease thanks in large part to advances in
biopharmaceutical research,” said PhRMA
President and CEO John J. Castellani. “Despite
the progress that has been made, researchers are
continuing the fight against HIV/AIDS and, with
more than 40 medicines in the pipeline, there is
more hope than ever that a cure can be
achieved.”
Currently, biopharmaceutical companies are
focused on improved treatment regimens, more
effective therapies and preventive vaccines that
are either in clinical trials or awaiting review by
the Food and Drug Administration . The 44
medicines and vaccines in the development
pipeline include 25 antivirals, 16 vaccines and
three cell/gene therapies. Examples include:
- A first-in-class medicine intended to prevent
HIV from breaking through the cell membrane;
- A cell therapy that modifies a patient’s own
cells in an attempt to make them resistant to HIV;
and,
- A therapeutic vaccine designed to induce
responses from T cells that play a role in immune
protection against viral infections.
Today, there are 94 active clinical trials for HIV
medicines and vaccines in the United States. Of
those, 43 have not yet started recruiting patients
or have recently begun seeking participants.
Therapies being investigated involve attachment
inhibitors, gene modification and inducing T cell
responses, among others. The development of
new, innovative therapies would not be possible
without the patients who volunteer to participate
in clinical trials. These trials, in combination with
the promising new scientific approaches
researchers are using, build on the progress
against HIV infection.
According to the Value of Innovation in HIV/AIDS
Therapy report, advances in treatment, including
the Pre-Exposure Prophylactic (PrEP) method,
have built upon each other over time, yielding
better results for patients through use of
medicines earlier and in combination. Recent
research has revealed that many of these
therapies are effective in preventing the
transmission of the virus. Both national and
international guidelines now recommend PrEP use
of medicines as part of a comprehensive HIV
prevention plan in populations that are
disproportionately impacted by HIV.
To highlight the innovation and progress in the
treatment of HIV/AIDS and hear the inspiring
stories of the Research & Hope Award winners,
PhRMA will host a congressional briefing and
panel discussion today at 2:00 p.m. EDT in Room
HVC 201 in the Capitol Visitor Center.

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