June 5, 2006 -- NIH Cites Need for HIV-AIDS Therapy Research

In a joint statement released today to mark the 25th anniversary of the first reported cases of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), the directors of the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases joined with the director of AIDS research in NIH to call for "a sustained global response from all sectors of society" to continuing high rates of AIDS and HIV infection in the Unites States and worldwide. Elias Zerhouni, Anthony Fauci, and Jack Whitescarver said that despite immunology and virology breakthroughs in HIV/AIDS research, "important challenges remain in the area of therapeutics." They noted that many patients receiving antiretroviral therapy "do not fare well on their treatment regimens due to the development of drug resistance, drug toxicities, and side effects" and said NIH is committed to finding therapies that are less toxic and have fewer side effects. They also called for research to develop "the next generation of protective modalities," including topical microbicides that individuals could use to protect themselves against HIV infection and a possible vaccine. NIH currently has clinical trials under way for nearly 50 vaccine candidates, but the virus that causes HIV "is unusually well equipped to elude immune defenses," making vaccine research a complex challenge. The full text of the NIH statement is available online at http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/jun2006/niaid-01.htm.