HIV is now a manageable lifelong condition for people on treatment, and the field is moving toward longer-acting options and a possible cure. A twice-yearly injection used for prevention has shown nearly 100 percent protection from infection in trials, and cure research is steadily progressing in small but encouraging studies.
What's actually going on in research
Trials are testing twice-yearly injectable treatment, broadly neutralizing antibodies, gene-editing approaches aimed at cure, and improved prevention tools like long-acting PrEP. Research also focuses on aging with HIV, drug resistance, and reaching populations less well-served by current treatment.
Long-acting treatment
Injectable medications given every two months — and soon every six months — are replacing daily pills for many people. Trials are testing how broadly they can be used.
Long-acting prevention
Twice-yearly injectable PrEP showed nearly complete protection against HIV in trials. Rollout is expanding access for people who struggle with daily pills.
Cure research
Gene-editing, broadly neutralizing antibodies, and immune-strengthening approaches are being tested to control HIV without lifelong medication. Progress is incremental but real.
What to know before you search
Eligibility often depends on viral load, CD4 count, prior treatments, and whether HIV has developed resistance to specific drugs.
What types of trials are currently open
- Treatment trials — Testing new HIV medications or longer-acting injectable options to see if they work as well or better than daily pills.
- Prevention trials — Testing pills, injections, and rings designed to prevent HIV in people at risk.
- Vaccine trials — Testing experimental vaccines, including mRNA approaches, to prevent or help control HIV.
- Cure-focused trials — Testing gene-editing, antibodies, and other strategies aimed at long-term control without daily medication.
- Observational studies — Following people with HIV over time to understand aging, mental health, and long-term outcomes.
Recently added HIV trials
A Study to Evaluate Performance, Usability, and Contrived Result Interpretation of TruPlex HIV/HepB/Syphilis Rapid Test
The objectives of this study are as follows: To evaluate the clinical performance of the TruPlex test using capillary blood, EDTA whole blood, EDTA plasma, and SST serum samples collected by trained operators in point-of-care settings To evaluate the usability of the TruPlex test through: Structured usability assessments, via a questionnaire, completed by trained operators in point-of-care settings. To assess user interpretation accuracy through a contrived result interpretation questionnaire, where intended users evaluate a set of pre-defined test results (e.g., strong/weak positives, negatives, invalids). To monitor test system reliability, including invalid rates.
BEYOND Study: Improving HIV Treatment and Well-Being Among Young MSM in Vietnam
The BEYOND Study aims to evaluate HIV treatment outcomes and well-being among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) living with HIV in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Despite progress in HIV services, YMSM continue to experience disparities in engagement in care, antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and viral suppression, influenced by individual, social, and structural factors including stigma and limited access to person-centered care. This prospective cohort study will enroll 300 YMSM living with HIV from four clinical sites, including public, private, and community-based clinics. Participants will be followed for 12 months, with data collection at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. The study will assess key outcomes including viral suppression, ART adherence, retention in care, mental health, and quality of life. In addition, in-depth interviews will be conducted with a subset of 20-30 participants to explore experiences with HIV care and barriers and facilitators to engagement. The study will also examine the implementation and perceived impact of person-centered care and one-stop-shop service models across different healthcare settings. Findings from this study will inform strategies to improve HIV treatment outcomes and support the development of integrated, patient-centered approaches to care for YMSM living with HIV in Vietnam and similar settings.
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