WHEN IT COMES TO HIV MEDICINES, THE FUTURE IS NOW
Featuring ViiV’s Branford innovation site – the world's only HIV-dedicated center that develops medicines and treatments to help people living with HIV.
The incredible scientific progress made over the past four decades of the HIV epidemic is one of the most remarkable stories in the history of medicine.
Since the epidemic began in the early 80s, more than 88 million people have been diagnosed worldwide. Tragically, over 42 million have died from complications of the virus over that same time. Today, thanks to decades of pharmaceutical advances, nearly 40 million people around the world are living with HIV, including approximately 1.2 million people in the U.S.
One of the most inspiring statistics about our progress in this fight is life expectancy. A recent study found that 40-year-old men and women who started on HIV therapy after 2015 will live to an age that is comparable to the general population. That is incredible progress when compared to life expectancy at the beginning of the epidemic, when HIV was a leading cause of death for men and women in the prime of their life.
While gone are the days when an HIV diagnosis necessitated taking so many pills that patients had to set multiple alarm clocks, self-stigma and external stigma still exist. These feelings may arise when taking daily pills, causing fear of HIV status disclosure, stress and anxiety about staying adherent, and the constant reminder that the individual is living with HIV.
The new reality for individuals who seek to prevent HIV or are living with HIV is rapidly changing. Through research and development, there are now long-acting options available that reduce the number of times medicine must be taken to suppress or prevent HIV. In our conversations with people living with HIV, many have said these types of options would help reduce the emotional burden and constant reminder of their status that can come from taking a daily treatment. The hope is that these options may help lessen the impact of HIV stigma and make HIV care a smaller part of peoples’ lives.
ViiV Healthcare’s Kimberley Brown and Bill Spreen discuss the past, present, and exciting future of HIV medicines in an episode of Science on the Sofa:
It’s clear that when it comes to HIV care, the future is now with innovative long-acting medicines. The future is even brighter, guided by the goal of developing options that allow even longer periods of time between when a person must take their HIV medicine.
As the leader in long-acting HIV medicine, ViiV Healthcare is proud of the role we’ve played in defining this fundamental shift of HIV treatment and prevention. As we advance even longer-acting options through clinical research and regulatory approval, we will not lose sight of our promise to leave no person living with HIV behind.
Learn more about our stories of HIV research and innovation here.
