Financial Times: New vaccine enters the battle against AIDS
“A new AIDS vaccine will begin large-scale trials in southern Africa at the end of this year, in what is hoped will be a breakthrough in the 30-year scientific battle against the disease. Promising early clinical data on the vaccine, developed by Johnson & Johnson with the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), were released at the International AIDS Society conference in Paris on Monday…” (Cookson, 7/24).

The Guardian: Cocktail of drugs could prevent 10,000 HIV deaths a year, claim scientists
“A package of low-cost drugs designed to prevent deadly infections among people who are starting HIV treatment late could save 10,000 lives a year across sub-Saharan Africa, scientists believe…” (Ratcliffe, 7/24).

Reuters: HIV fight advances with new drug cocktails, fresh vaccine hopes
“Three decades after approval of the first-ever AIDS treatment, HIV medicine is seeing a new wave of innovation with scientists reporting positive data on Monday for improved drug cocktails and a novel experimental vaccine. Adding to optimism is the success of antiretrovirals in preventing infection — an approach known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) — as well as growing hopes for an eventual ‘functional’ cure that may keep the virus at bay without drugs…” (Hirschler, 7/24).

Reuters: HIV and cancer teams double up to seek out new disease killers
“HIV experts at an international conference starting on Saturday are keenly courting colleagues in oncology to explore whether advances in harnessing the immune system against cancer can help the search for a cure for AIDS…” (Kelland, 7/22).

STAT: Strong results for a new HIV drug will be a big boost to Gilead Sciences
“An experimental HIV pill from Gilead Sciences suppressed the virus in newly diagnosed patients at a rate statistically equivalent to that of a similar, rival drug from GlaxoSmithKline, according to results from a late-stage clinical trial presented Monday. The positive data supporting Gilead’s new HIV pill, a second-generation integrase inhibitor called bictegravir, are vitally important to the Foster City, Calif.-based biotech company…” (Feuerstein, 7/24).