The International AIDS Society Conference 2024 took place this year in Munich, Germany, where over 40 oral abstract sessions, 50 invited-speaker sessions, 20 workshops, 30 symposia sessions, 100 satellite sessions and 2,200 posters showcased exciting community-led innovations alongside scientific breakthroughs and game changers.
See a few key points from the conference summarized below:
Cure: The conference highlighted three individuals who were cured of HIV—Adam Castillejo, Marc Franke, and Paul Edmonds—hoping to inspire further research. A new case, the “next Berlin patient,” a 60-year-old man in remission for over five years post-stem cell transplant, was discussed. This patient’s donor had a single CCR5-delta32 mutation, offering potential for more scalable HIV cure strategies.
Long-acting technologies: Gilead’s twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir was praised for its 100% efficacy in preventing HIV in cisgender women, though concerns about its high cost and accessibility in low-income countries were raised. Estimates suggest the cost could decrease to USD 35-40 annually with mass production. Long-acting options like cabotegravir (CAB-LA) are also gaining traction in Africa and Europe.
Leadership, policy, and funding: Funding for HIV programs is nearly 20% lower than in 2013, with a significant gap in needed resources. Germany reinforced its commitment by joining a global partnership to combat HIV-related stigma. Additionally, Munich became a Fast Track City, and over 370 MPs from 45 countries formed a new platform to boost political support for ending HIV transmissions.
To read more about the takeaways from IAS 2024, click here.