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[link removed] May 14, 2025


** HIV Vaccine Awareness Day 2025
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Dear Advocate,

This May 18, HIV Vaccine Awareness Day (HVAD) ([link removed]) , comes as HIV vaccine science and collaboration have never had more promise — and as AVAC celebrates its 30^th anniversary. When AVAC began in 1995, we were the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition, founded to speed research and development, grounded in equity, for an HIV vaccine. As the potential of PrEP and other HIV prevention emerged, we broadened our focus to ensure progress across the pipeline of prevention research, and to advocate for delivery and access to new interventions.

HVAD 2025 comes as the US presidential administration is actively working to dismantle HIV research and demolish the architecture of global health. The entire HIV response — from basic research and clinical development to policy, programs, and global access to life-saving treatment and prevention — is now under attack, and the world runs the risk of reversing the strides made to end HIV.
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These threats to the HIV response could not have come at a more critical time for prevention. Regulatory approvals and introduction of injectable lenacapavir for PrEP ([link removed]) are imminent; the first ever ARV-based, dual-purpose product to prevent pregnancy and HIV is also poised for rollout; and a range of next-generation products, including new HIV vaccine approaches, to meet diverse user needs was being ushered through upstream development—all work that benefitted from US funding that is now in jeopardy.

To put all of this in perspective, AVAC has put together a report, HIV Research & Development at Risk: Tracking the Impact of US Funding Cuts ([link removed]) , highlighting the impact of US cuts on the pipeline of HIV prevention research and development. AVAC will continue to track these cuts and their impact, to amplify the damage they will cause, and to fight for their reversal.

The backbone of all these efforts is science — from basic discovery, to clinical research, to implementation projects — to which US support has been fundamental. A classic example is lenacapvir for PrEP ([link removed]) . Without NIH-funded basic science, the capsid inhibitor, which targets the shell of the HIV virus and is the basis of lenacapavir, would not have been discovered. And without long-term investments in research infrastructure in South Africa, the PURPOSE 1 and 2 lenacapavir efficacy trials would not have demonstrated efficacy so quickly and clearly. Stay tuned for our upcoming webinar June 11, The Scientific Journey of Lenacapavir: From basic science to clinical development to impact to learn more about this remarkable story.

For decades, both sides of the aisle of US politics have recognized that this work brings our country and the world prosperity. With the quest for an HIV vaccine now in early upstream R&D, the story of lenacapavir for PrEP shows the essential importance of bipartisan political support for the NIH; the need to invest in long-term global research capacity; the power of public-private partnerships; and the essential role of community engagement and advocacy to accelerate R&D and delivery.

For more testimony about these issues, you can also watch a new video documenting the 25 years of progress and leadership of the NIH-funded HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) ([link removed]) .

This HVAD, AVAC invites you to join us in the fight to protect, sustain and rebuild. The webinars and resources provided below frame the issues and include tools and key messages for your advocacy!
Upcoming Webinars

May 16


** Recent Advances in Eliciting Broadly Neutralizing Antibodies (bNAbs) for HIV-1 Vaccine Development
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Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise
Explores cutting-edge approaches in HIV-1 vaccine development. Experts will discuss innovative immunogen design, B cell maturation strategies, and key findings from clinical and preclinical studies. Learn how translational research is shaping the next generation of HIV vaccines.
REGISTER > ([link removed])
may 28


** HIV Prevention at a Crossroads: Why we still need an HIV vaccine
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Global HIV Vaccine Enterprise and IAVI
Discusses the continued need for an HIV vaccine in the context of the expanding HIV prevention landscape and uncertain geopolitical environment. Panelists and audience members are invited to explore the potential public health impact of an HIV vaccine, including related socioeconomic and equity considerations. Participants will further reflect on the rising threat to vaccine science and why investments in HIV vaccine R&D remain a strategic priority in the global HIV response.
register > ([link removed])
june 11


** NIH Science: Vital to Life-Saving Breakthroughs and Global Prosperity
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AVAC
Join us for the compelling story of the development of lenacapavir and the critical role of US support. Wes Sundquist, from the University of Utah, will share the story of capsid inhibitor discovery; and Linda-Gail Bekker, from the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation, will discuss the critical role of South Africa in clinical development; all of this work, backed by long-term US support. Stay tuned for the time and registration link.


RESOURCES
• An HIV Vaccine in the Era of Twice-Yearly Lenacapavir for PrEP - Essential or Irrelevant? ([link removed]) Jatt LP, Mgodi NM, Buchbinder SP, Gray GE, Kublin JG. N Engl J Med. 2025 Apr 24;392(16):1561-1563. doi: 10.1056/NEJMp2415893. Epub 2025 Apr 19. PMID: 40260855.
• HIV Prevention R&D at Risk: Tracking the Impact of US Funding Cuts ([link removed]) , AVAC’s analysis of the impact of US Government funding cuts, terminated projects, and other policy changes on the HIV prevention research and development (R&D) pipeline, and on HIV research broadly.
• Research Matters — Resources to Protect Research Funding, ([link removed]) AVAC, TAG and the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) co-created a new resource hub, Research Matters ([link removed]) , to support advocacy for sustained NIH funding.

Share Your Story

Additionally, AVAC and partners are collecting stories of impact—if you know someone willing to share their story about how NIH cuts are affecting their work, contact John Meade Jr. at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) . This HuffPost article by Katie Edwards, ([link removed]) from the University of Michigan, is a terrific example of a researcher sharing the real-world toll on scientists, trial participants, communities, research and public health.

Thank you for standing with us to protect science, health, and progress.

Best,

AVAC

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AVAC Global Advocacy for HIV Prevention
+1 212 796 6423 [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) www.avac.org ([link removed])

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