HIV treatment has advanced dramatically since the 1980s. Most people now take a single daily pill that keeps the virus undetectable, meaning they live normal lifespans and cannot transmit HIV sexually. The main research goals today are achieving remission without daily medication, preventing HIV in the first place, and addressing long-term health effects of living with the virus.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing long-acting injections given every few months instead of daily pills, broadly neutralizing antibodies that might suppress HIV for months at a time, and gene therapies aimed at engineering immune cells to resist or eliminate the virus. Prevention research includes longer-acting PrEP options and vaccines. Researchers are also studying treatments for the inflammation and early aging that can persist even when HIV is well controlled.
Long-acting treatments
Cabotegravir and rilpivirine are FDA-approved as monthly or every-two-month injections. Trials are now testing injections given twice yearly, which could eliminate the need for daily pills entirely.
Broadly neutralizing antibodies
These lab-made antibodies attack multiple strains of HIV and may suppress the virus for months with a single infusion. Some trials combine antibodies with drugs that pull latent HIV out of hiding.
Gene therapy approaches
Researchers are engineering immune cells to resist HIV or to hunt down infected cells. Early results show some people can control HIV for months without medication after a single infusion of modified cells.
What to know before you search
Eligibility typically depends on current viral load, CD4 count, resistance to prior medications, and willingness to use effective contraception during some trials.
What types of trials are currently open
- Long-acting treatment trials — Testing injectable medications given monthly, every two months, or twice yearly instead of daily pills.
- Antibody trials — Testing broadly neutralizing antibodies given by infusion to suppress HIV for extended periods.
- Cure-focused trials — Testing strategies to eliminate the virus or control it without ongoing medication, including gene therapy and immune-based approaches.
- Prevention trials — Testing long-acting PrEP injections, vaccines, and antibodies to prevent HIV infection in people at risk.
- Complication trials — Testing treatments for inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and cognitive effects that can occur even when HIV is well controlled.
Recently added HIV trials
Immunogenicity and Safety of Freeze-Dried Human Rabies Vaccine (Vero Cell) in Patients Infected With Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)
This is a prospective, open-label, randomized controlled clinical trial designed to evaluate rabies virus neutralizing antibody responses to rabies vaccination among patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Eligible participants will be divided into two groups according to baseline CD4+ T cell count before randomization. Within each group, participants will be randomly assigned to one of two different rabies vaccination regimens for simulated post-exposure prophylaxis. Blood samples will be collected before vaccination and at scheduled time points after vaccination. Rabies virus neutralizing antibody titers will be tested to assess the seroconversion rate and geometric mean concentration (GMC). Adverse events after vaccination will also be recorded.
C2001P-CS6: Testing the Feasibility of Different HPV Screening and Care Strategies for Women Living With HIV
The overall goal of this study is to inform the design and establish feasibility for a future clinical trial to determine the optimal management of women living with HIV (WLWH) with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) detected on HPV-based cervical cancer screening. WLWH have a higher diversity of anogenital HPV types causing cervical high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (hHSIL) and invasive cancer compared to women without HIV. While there is consensus that women testing positive for HPV 16 and/or 18 should be immediately managed and treated, optimal management strategies for women with other hrHPV types (non-16/18) are not well defined. This prospective cohort study will enroll WLWH undergoing cervical cancer screening using primary HPV testing. Women will self-collect vaginal specimens for hrHPV testing using the Abbott Alinity m HPV assay, which provides extended HPV genotyping and a proxy for HPV viral load based on cycle threshold (CT) values. Women with hrHPV detected will return for further evaluation and treatment as indicated. A subset of women will return at Month 6 for repeat evaluation. The study will evaluate feasibility for a future trial by examining recruitment, retention, return for evaluation, and completion of treatment. It will also explore management strategies for women with non-16/18 hrHPV based on extended genotyping and HPV viral load compared to standard of care approaches using visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA).
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