•  ICAAC 2007 IN SUMMARY: CME/CE TRANSCRIPT, PODCAST AND SLIDES

Looking for an expert CME/CE review of clinically noteworthy developments in HIV research from ICAAC 2007? Read the transcript, download audio or browse our slide presentation as The Body PRO's Cal Cohen, M.D., M.S., and Eric Daar, M.D., analyze key studies from ICAAC 2007, including:

• Complications of HIV/HAART: New data regarding renal complications, the possible mechanisms behind the development of cardiovascular complications, and the growing importance of non-AIDS-defining complications, including malignancies, in HIV-infected patients.
  
  
• HIV/hepatitis B and C coinfection: New research on older treatments, as well as a promising new antiretroviral in development.
  
  
• ARTEMIS results: This large, randomized study demonstrated the non-inferiority of darunavir (Prezista)-based regimens to lopinavir-based regimens in treatment-naive patients. Darunavir outperformed lopinavir virologically in patients with a high viral load.
  
  
• DUET substudies: A new analysis may explain why patients with enfuvirtide (T-20, Fuzeon) in their background regimens seemed to experience no benefit with the addition of etravirine (TMC125). The new findings testify to the importance of having as many active drugs as possible in a regimen.
  
  
• Entry inhibitor research: The latest findings on the integrase inhibitors raltegravir (MK-0518) and elvitegravir (GS 9137), confirmatory 48-week data on the CCR5 inhibitor maraviroc (Selzentry, Celsentri), and news on the relationship between tropism and HIV disease progression.

•  PODCASTS FROM ICAAC 2007

Interviews With HIV Experts on the Latest Research
Throughout ICAAC 2007, The Body PRO interviewed an assortment of HIV researchers regarding their own studies, and spoke to clinicians and researchers for their take on the conference's key HIV-related presentations. We're pleased to bring you this growing collection of transcripts and MP3 podcasts! Check back to stay abreast of the latest research; interviews currently available include:

• Joseph J. Eron, M.D., discusses the 48-week results of a study examining the new integrase inhibitor raltegravir (MK-0518) in highly treatment-experienced patients.
  
  
• Trevor Hawkins, M.D., offers his perspective on the most critical news from ICAAC, including research on the new CCR5 inhibitors, and a study showing that darunavir (TMC114, Prezista) + ritonavir matched -- and in certain patients outperformed -- lopinavir/ritonavir (Kaletra) in treatment-naive patients.
  
  
• Roy Gulick, M.D., M.P.H., discusses the results of a two-year study on treatment-experienced patients taking vicriviroc, a CCR5 inhibitor in development.

•  OTHER HIV-RELATED RESEARCH

Herpes Suppression for HIV Prevention: A Review of Recent Research
Could treatment of chronic genital herpes reduce HIV transmission? This article outlines research presented at HIV conferences this summer on the potential for continuous therapy for herpes simplex virus (HSV)-1 and HSV-2 to reduce the risk of HIV infection. Research has indicated that genital herpes coinfection can increase the infectiousness of individuals with HIV, and that HIV-uninfected people with herpes outbreaks are more vulnerable to HIV.


Prominent HIV Vaccine Candidate Bites the Dust
The clinical trial of an HIV vaccine that experts considered one of the most promising vaccines in development was stopped last week after researchers found that it failed to prevent HIV infections or reduce the amount of virus in study participants who became HIV positive. The vaccine was supposed to stimulate an increased CD4 cell response that researchers hoped would fight off HIV infection or progression. The executive director of the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition tried to put a positive spin on the disappointing findings: "It isn't the end of the line," he said. "[The data] aren't the answers we wanted, but they will help improve our other vaccine candidates."

Click here to read the announcement from the vaccine maker about the trial's discontinuation.

•  HIV IN THE U.S. NEWS

Black Leaders Come Together for Historic Meeting on HIV Prevention
The National Black Leadership Commission on AIDS (NBLCA) is hosting what it says is the first-ever conference dedicated to developing a five-year plan to significantly reduce HIV cases among African Americans. The meeting will be held in New York City in early October. African Americans account for about 13 percent of the U.S. population, but made up about half of new AIDS diagnoses in the United States in 2005, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "It's a crisis," said Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, the chairman of the board for the NBLCA. "Once you hear the numbers, you realize the impact, the unthinkable loss of lives that we as a community are facing. You absolutely know that a lot of this could be prevented." (Web highlight from EURweb.com)


U.S. Presidential Candidate Edwards Details His Plan to Fight HIV
Former Senator and 2008 U.S. presidential hopeful John Edwards has publicly detailed how he would fight HIV if elected president. At a health care forum in Washington, D.C., the Democratic candidate called for spending $50 billion over five years to provide worldwide, universal access to HIV prevention and treatment. On the home front, Edwards says he would expand Medicaid coverage to include HIVers before they progress to AIDS, increase HIV prevention resources in black and Hispanic communities, ensure comprehensive sex education, and lift the ban on federal funding for needle-exchange programs.

Click here for John Edwards' complete HIV platform.

•  HIV OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES

Tenofovir Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Could Avert Three Million HIV Infections in Africa
As many as three million new HIV infections could be prevented in sub-Saharan Africa over the next 10 years if tenofovir (Viread) is used as pre-exposure prophylaxis, according to researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and University of London. Writing in PLoS One, Ume Abbas, Roy Anderson and John Mellors calculate that widespread, daily use of tenofovir by sexually active adults in sub-Saharan Africa could reduce HIV incidence by as much as 74%. The estimated cost: US$2 billion over 10 years -- $1.2 billion less than what was spent on HIV prevention worldwide by UNAIDS in 2005 alone.


UNAIDS to Wealthy Nations: To Stop HIV, Funding Must Sharply Increase
A massive inflow of cash is the only way that UNAIDS can meet its commitment to provide the entire developing world with access to HIV prevention, treatment and care by 2010, the group reported this week. The price tag for universal access? About US$42 billion, UNAIDS says -- dramatically more money than it currently gets from wealthy donor countries. UNAIDS also warns that the funding situation is actually getting worse, not better: "If current trends continue, the gap between resources available and resources needed to achieve global objectives will widen each year through 2015," the organization reports.

Click here to download a brief summary of the UNAIDS report, or click here to download the report in its entirety.


Rwanda to Launch National Male Circumcision Program
The Rwandan government has announced plans for a massive male circumcision program, which will begin by targeting the army, police and students in higher education. Funding for the campaign may come at least partially from the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.


AIDS Crisis Politicized in South Africa as Death Toll Mounts
Nearly 1,000 South Africans die from HIV-related illnesses every day, health advocates say, but the response of South Africa's president, Thabo Mbeki, has been sluggish and inconsistent. In a meeting this December, South Africa's ruling body -- the African National Congress (ANC) -- is expected to consider its next leader. As this report from National Public Radio explains, activists plan to urge the ANC to make the provision of HIV treatment a national priority and denounce President Mbeki.