Inside This Issue:  News from the 2020 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infectious - curated by topic.

Highlights from the 27^th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections

The 27th Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI), which was to take place in Boston, Massachusetts, was held virtually due to concerns over COVID-19.  The virtual presentations proceeded as originally scheduled from March 8 through 11.

This issue of In Brief is devoted to highlights from CROI in the form of headlines from the HIV, medical, and scientific press, together with links to more detailed coverage. For your convenience, we have curated the headlines by topic and subtopic, so that you may quickly review important developments and then explore in depth the news of greatest interest to you.  The curated topic areas are:

• CROI Webcasts and Conference Coverage from Other Sites
• U.S. and Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic
• HIV Prevention (including pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis – PrEP and PEP)
• HIV Treatment and Cure Research (including continuum of care, side effects, and resistance)
• HIV in Specific Population Groups – research focusing on particular demographic or risk groups
• Other Health Conditions

Please Note: Although CROI 2020 included some presentations about COVID-19, we are not including summaries of that research here, because the COVID-19 pandemic and knowledge of the disease has evolved rapidly in the weeks since CROI 2020 ended. A special In Brief supplement is focusing on COVID-19, with particular emphasis on reliable sources of information and current guidance for people with HIV.

CROI Webcasts and Conference Coverage from Other Sites

The CROI Webcasts page provides the titles, authors, and links to the approximately 2,100 conference presentations.  Visitors to the page can browse through and sort presentations by date, session or presentation title, and speaker name.  Visitors may then stream or download presentation videos, audio tracks, and slides. 

CROI News Pages from Other Sites 

Several HIV-specific and health news sites have created web pages focusing on CROI 2020 and its highlights.  These sites and their CROI web pages are listed and linked to below:

National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project (NATAP): Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections 2020 – NATAP has some of the most extensive coverage of CROI 2020, with more than 100 research summaries posted when this In Brief issue went to press.

AIDSmap: CROI 2020

Poz: #CROI 2020

HIV i-base:  Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections

TheBodyPRO: Conference Coverage – Please note that news from CROI 2020 is posted near the top of this page. News from older conferences is also included lower on the page.

Healio: HIV/AIDS – For news from CROI, please see recent items listed with the heading “Meeting News.” Free registration may be required to access the articles.

 

U.S. and Global HIV/AIDS Epidemic

Treating Patients ‘Rapidly and Effectively’ Helped Contain HIV Outbreak in West Virginia (Healio)

Black MSM Are 60% Less Likely to Have Suppressed HIV Than White Men in Atlanta (AIDSmap)

HIV Incidence Fell by Three-Quarters in Australian Gay Men, with Strong Association with Treatment as Prevention (AIDSmap)

As Community Viremia Declines, so Does HIV Incidence, Study Finds (Healio)

African Studies Show that Lowering Viral Load in the Community Reduces HIV Incidence, But Is Not Enough to Eliminate HIV (AIDSmap); related coverage from Poz and Healio

Community-Based HIV Treatment Superior to Clinic-Based Care for Men in South Africa (AIDSmap)

Good Retention in Care with Six-Monthly Clinic Visits in Lesotho (AIDSmap)

HIV Incidence Declines Among Men, Women in Rakai, Uganda (Healio)

One Third of Adolescents and Young Adults on ART in Kenya Are Not Virally Suppressed (AIDSmap)

Study Shows PEPFAR Program for Adolescent Girls Should Be Modified (Healio)

Adherence Clubs Linked to 30% Reduction in High Viral Load Among Postpartum South African Women Living with HIV (AIDSmap)

HIV, HCV Epidemics Among PWID Driven by Large Social Networks [in India] (Healio)

 

 

HIV Prevention

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis

NIH Study Finds Lower Concentration of PrEP Drug in Pregnant Young Women (NIAID); related coverage from Healio and Poz

Generic PrEP May Present ‘Golden Opportunity’ for Affordability (Healio)

Far Fewer People Would Get PrEP in the U.S. if Generic TDF/FTC Is Replaced with Descovy (TAF/FTC), Cost-Effectiveness Study Finds (AIDSmap); related coverage from TheBodyPRO

‘Substantial Misinformation’ Affects PrEP Uptake Among American MSM (Healio)

Diagnostic Challenges with PrEP Use During Early HIV Infection (AIDSmap)

Taking PrEP During Acute HIV Infection for More Than 2-3 Weeks Is Likely to Cause Resistance, Thai Study Finds (AIDSmap)

Older Age and Baseline Kidney Function Are the Key Risk Factors for Renal Dysfunction While Taking HIV PrEP (AIDSmap)

Monthly Islatravir for PEP and PrEP: 12 Pills a Year Could Cover Unmet Need for HIV Prevention in Billions of People Globally (i-base)

New PEP Studies Revive Interest in Post-Exposure Prevention (AIDSmap)

Two PEP Doses Spaced a Week Apart Protect Monkeys from Injected HIV; One Dose Might Work in Humans (AIDSmap)

Using Biktarvy Instead of Descovy Could Simplify PEP and On-Demand PrEP in Monkeys (Poz)

 

 

HIV Care and Treatment (including the HIV Care Continuum)

HIV Cure and Vaccine Research

HIV Cure at CROI: New Data on Antibodies, Vaccines and Genetically Engineered T-Cells (AIDSmap)

Durable HIV Remission in London Patient, the Second Person Cured of HIV (TheBodyPRO); related coverage from AIDSmap, i-base, i-base (second article), Poz, and Healio

Child with HIV Maintains Viral Suppression for Three Years Off Treatment (AIDSmap); related coverage from TheBodyPRO

Drug-Delivery Technology Leads to Sustained HIV Antibody Production in NIH Study (NIAID); related coverage from Healio, Poz, and AIDSmap

Researchers Discuss the Lessons of the HIV Vaccine Trial That Terminated Earlier This Year (TheBodyPRO)

 

Other New and Experimental Treatments

Long-Acting Cabotegravir and Rilpivirine Injections Support Two-Monthly Dosing (i-base); related coverage from AIDSmap, Poz, TheBodyPRO, and Healio

Safety and PK of bNAb Elipovimab (GS-9722) Support Two-Weekly Dosing (i-base)

First Results with Long-Acting Capsid Inhibitor GS-6207: Oral and Subcutaneous Formulations for Use in Naïve and Multidrug Resistance (i-base); related coverage from AIDSmap

 

Treatment in Pregnant Women and Infants

Some Research on Pregnant and Postpartum Women with HIV Is Presented at CROI, But More Trials Are Needed (TheBodyPRO)

Dolutegravir-Based HIV Treatment Is the Safest and Most Effective Choice for Pregnant Women (AIDSmap); related coverage from TheBodyPRO and Healio

New Approaches for Paediatric Dosing: Abacavir in Newborns, Doubling Dolutegravir with Rifampicin (AIDSmap)

Point-of-Care Early Infant HIV Diagnosis Eliminates Delays (Healio)

 

Side Effects and Drug Interactions

Weight Gain After Starting HIV Treatment May Have Genetic Influences (AIDSmap); related coverage from Poz

Predicted Diabetes Risk with First-Line ART regimens: Results from the ADVANCE Trial (i-base); related coverage from AIDSmap

New Mothers with HIV Gain More Weight on Dolutegravir Than Efavirenz (AIDSmap); related coverage from i-base

Contraceptives Don’t Increase HIV Risk, but They Do Interact with Some Antiretrovirals (TheBodyPRO)

HIV Care Continuum

SEARCH Study Finds Universal ‘Test and Treat’ Reduces Infant HIV (AIDSmap) and Healio

Point-of-Care Early Infant HIV Diagnosis Eliminates Delays (Healio)

Good Retention in Care with Six-Monthly Clinic Visits in Lesotho (AIDSmap)

Adherence Clubs Linked to 30% Reduction in High Viral Load Among Postpartum South African Women Living with HIV (AIDSmap)

One Third of Adolescents and Young Adults on ART in Kenya Are Not Virally Suppressed (AIDSmap)

Other Treatment News

HIV Life Expectancy in U.S. Now Matches General Population – with Some Big “Buts” (TheBodyPRO); related coverage from AIDSmap, Poz, and Healio

Community-Based HIV Treatment Superior to Clinic-Based Care for Men in South Africa (AIDSmap)

 

HIV in Specific Population Groups

Children and Youth

Point-of-Care Early Infant HIV Diagnosis Eliminates Delays (Healio)

SEARCH Study Finds Universal ‘Test and Treat’ Reduces Infant HIV (AIDSmap) and Healio

New Approaches for Paediatric Dosing: Abacavir in Newborns, Doubling Dolutegravir with Rifampicin (AIDSmap)

Azithromycin Reduces Exacerbations of HIV-Related Chronic Lung Disease in Children and Adolescents (AIDSmap)

One Third of Adolescents and Young Adults on ART in Kenya Are Not Virally Suppressed (AIDSmap)

Study Shows PEPFAR Program for Adolescent Girls Should Be Modified (Healio)

Younger People with HIV Lose Lung Function Faster (AIDSmap)

Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men

Black MSM Are 60% Less Likely to Have Suppressed HIV Than White Men in Atlanta (AIDSmap)

‘Substantial Misinformation’ Affects PrEP Uptake Among American MSM (Healio)

No Increase in HIV in Blood Donations Since Rules for Gay Men Were Relaxed (AIDSmap); related coverage from Poz

People Who Inject Drugs

HIV, HCV Epidemics Among PWID Driven by Large Social Networks (Healio)

Treating Patients ‘Rapidly and Effectively’ Helped Contain HIV Outbreak in West Virginia (Healio)

Transgender Persons

Unique Transgender Vulnerabilities Require Tailored and Specific Interventions (AIDSmap)

Study Highlights Need for Increased Awareness of Cardiovascular Risk in Transgender Women (Healio)

 

Women

Contraceptives Don’t Increase HIV Risk, But They Do Interact with Some Antiretrovirals (TheBodyPRO)

Some Research on Pregnant and Postpartum Women with HIV Is Presented at CROI, But More Trials Are Needed (TheBodyPRO)

Newer Anti-HIV Drugs Safest, Most Effective During Pregnancy (NIAID); related coverage from AIDSmap, Healio, and TheBodyPRO

NIH Study Finds Lower Concentration of PrEP Drug in Pregnant Young Women (NIAID); related coverage from Healio and Poz

Postpartum Weight Gain Is Higher with Dolutegravir- Compared with Efavirenz-Based ART Among African Women (i-base)

Rifapentine Demonstrates Efficacy for Pregnant Women, Including Those with HIV (Healio)

Adherence Clubs Linked to 30% Reduction in High Viral Load Among Postpartum South African Women Living with HIV (AIDSmap)

 

 

Other Health Conditions

Cardiovascular Disease

Insomnia Associated with Heart Attack in People Living with HIV (AIDSmap); related coverage from Healio and Poz

People with HIV Have Worse Outcomes Following Acute Coronary Syndrome (Poz); related coverage from Healio

Recent Initiation of Testosterone Therapy Linked to Greater Atherosclerosis Progression in MSM with HIV (TheBodyPRO); related coverage from AIDSmap and Healio

Severity of HIV Affects HF Risk (Healio)

Study Highlights Need for Increased Awareness of Cardiovascular Risk in Transgender Women (Healio)

Cancer

Pomalidomide Helps Clear Lesions Caused by HPV Infection (Healio)

Immune Modulator Clears Pre-Cancerous Anal Lesions (AIDSmap); related coverage from Poz

Hepatitis C and Liver Disease

HIV, HCV Epidemics Among PWID Driven by Large Social Networks (Healio)

Shortened Epclusa Regimen Not as Effective for Recent Hep C Infection (Poz)

HIV-Positive People with Fatty Liver Disease Are at High Risk for Fibrosis (AIDSmap)

Tuberculosis and Other Lung Conditions

Rifapentine Demonstrates Efficacy for Pregnant Women, Including Those with HIV (Healio)

Single Round of 3HP Safe, Effective for PLWH on ART (Healio)

Younger People with HIV Lose Lung Function Faster (AIDSmap)

Azithromycin Reduces Exacerbations of HIV-Related Chronic Lung Disease in Children and Adolescents (AIDSmap)