PhRMA: 44 medicines and vaccines for HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention in development

WASHINGTON — 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 issued Wednesday. 

 

A second report, a PhRMA-sponsored white paper by Boston Healthcare Associates, “The Value of Innovation in HIV/AIDS Therapy” highlights the progress in HIV/AIDS treatment and its impact on patients 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.

 

“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,” stated PhRMA president and CEO John 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. 

 

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.