NCHHSTP Newsroom: 2014 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI)

NCHHSTP Newsroom: 2014 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI)

NCHHSTP Newsroom: 2014 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) sent this bulletin at 03/04/2014 12:49 PM EST

 NCHHSTP Newsroom from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The 21st International Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) opened in Boston, MA on Monday. The annual scientific meeting is devoted to the understanding, prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS and the opportunistic infections associated with AIDS.

This week several CDC authors will present findings from their research at CROI in a number of topic areas including PrEP-related animal research, stages of the HIV continuum of care, and HIV drug resistance.

Today, Dr. Gerardo Garcia-Lerma presented findings from a study that evaluated the efficacy of monthly long-lasting injections of the HIV integrase inhibitor, GSK744, in pigtail macaques. The injections completely prevented vaginal SHIV infection in the macaques.

Daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP, has been proven effective in reducing the risk of HIV infection among adult men and women at very high risk for HIV infection through sex or injecting drug use. However, PrEP with long-acting drug formulations has the potential to overcome challenges of adherence associated with taking a pill daily.

While we don’t yet know what relevance these findings may have for prevention in humans, data from this study support advancement to human trials of GSK744 LA as a viable PrEP candidate for women.

Please visit our online newsroom for more information on this study, as well as other CDC research presented at the conference. Additional information will be posted throughout the week as embargoes lift.