While there is currently no widely available cure for HIV, decades of scientific progress have transformed our understanding of the virus and brought researchers closer to answering one of the biggest questions in HIV: can HIV be cured?1

Here, we explore why finding a cure remains challenging, the approaches being investigated, and how collaboration is helping advance HIV cure research.

IS THERE A CURE FOR HIV? 

Since the start of the HIV epidemic, researchers, scientists, and healthcare professionals have tirelessly worked to understand the virus and develop effective treatments . These advancements allow people living with HIV to suppress the virus to undetectable levels, not only improving their own health but also preventing transmission to others (Undetectable = Untransmittable [U=U]).2

Even with the medical advancements over the last 40 years, the quest for an HIV/AIDS cure remains of great importance. Managing HIV through antiretroviral (ARV) therapies has been a vital step, but there is so much more to do.

“We believe that ViiV Healthcare has the right science, has the best team, and has the right tools that we can bring forward together to find a [HIV] cure for our patients in the near term.” – Hangfei Qi, Translational Research, HIV Cure, Viiv Healthcare

Treatments today have become far more convenient for people living with HIV, vastly improving their life expectancy and quality of life.3 Despite this, taking lifelong medication is essential and can be emotionally and physically challenging.4 Not taking medication exactly as prescribed can cause HIV to become resistant to one or more ARVs, which makes the treatment less effective.5 Side effects from ARVs and other HIV-related health issues can also impact their daily lives.6

Even whilst taking ARVs, people living with HIV often have higher levels of inflammation and immune activity than those without HIV.7 This persistent inflammation can increase the risk of other health problems such as heart disease, cancer, and brain issues.8

Combined with the social stigma associated with HIV, these concerns highlight the urgent need to find a cure for HIV.9

WHY IS HIV SO DIFFICULT TO CURE? 

The greatest challenge to curing HIV permanently is the virus’ ability to hide and remain dormant in pockets of healthy immune cells, specifically CD4+ T-cells. These hidden HIV pockets are called ‘latent reservoirs’ and consist of HIV-infected immune cells that enter a resting state, also known as a ‘latent state’.9,10

In these cells, HIV has integrated into the genome and become dormant. Even if a person has successfully suppressed their HIV through ARV treatment, the latent reservoir can reactivate if treatment is stopped. This is a major hurdle in the quest to find a cure for HIV.9,10

Current treatments stop HIV from infecting new cells. However, ARVs do not affect the cells that already have HIV integrated into their genome. These infected cells are long-lived and allow HIV to hide from the immune system.11 Unmasking the HIV hiding in these cells and eliminating them is a challenge.

At ViiV Healthcare, we are committed to tackling these complexities of HIV cure research. Despite the challenges posed by the latent reservoir, we remain steadfast in our pursuit of finding a cure to help end the HIV epidemic. We’re here until HIV isn’t.

OUR APPROACH TO FINDING A CURE FOR HIV

ViiV’s scientists are at the forefront of HIV research, leading groundbreaking studies and developing new techniques aimed at an HIV cure. ViiV’s pursuit of a cure centres around identifying, creating, and developing medicines that are not only highly effective but also well-tolerated. Fully understanding and eliminating the dormant latent reservoir of HIV is a complex task that requires ongoing collaboration among research teams.

The road to an HIV cure calls for innovation, creativity, and most of all, persistence.

Our ‘induce and reduce’ strategy

Getting to an HIV cure requires many different steps and methods. Our long-term goal is a 'sterilising cure', which means completely eliminating the virus from the body. For now, our first target is a 'functional cure', where the virus is controlled without the need for constant treatment.12

Unless we can find a way to expose the hidden HIV and selectively target the latent reservoir, ongoing treatment will be required to keep the virus at bay. Currently, ViiV’s HIV cure research aims to target the latent reservoirs through the concept of ‘induce and reduce’.13

We aim to drive the HIV that is lying dormant in human immune cells – the reservoir – out of hiding (induce) so that we can eliminate it (reduce). The ‘induce and reduce’ agents will be used alongside suppressive ARV therapy to protect healthy cells from the virus.13

If successful, the advancement of these agents could hold the answer to the question ‘Can HIV be cured?’.

ViiV Healthcare’s approach to HIV cure (‘Induce and Reduce’) 

  • HIV can remain hidden for a long time in cells throughout the body (known as the HIV reservoir). Antiretroviral therapy (ART) does not clear HIV reservoir cells.
  • Induce HIV expression to expose viral targets, such as HIV envelope proteins, and enable the cell to be recognised as harbouring HIV.
  • Reduce the HIV reservoir by targeting newly exposed viral proteins and destroying cells containing HIV.

Reactivating the virus in an effective and safe way has been a major challenge, but pioneering research on the ‘induce and reduce’ strategy in 2020 — published in the journal Nature — showcased a scientific breakthrough.13

A new class of drugs known as IAP inhibitors (inhibitors of apoptosis) has been studied over recent years. IAP inhibitors activate a signalling pathway that could induce the hidden HIV to reactivate and become visible. This groundbreaking research that ViiV collaborated on showcases efforts to push the dormant virus out of hiding in two HIV animal models.13

OUR COLLABORATIONS: JOINING FORCES TO FIND A CURE FOR HIV

At ViiV, we are bringing together experts from different fields to explore various methods and compounds in the quest to cure HIV. We have active collaborations with pharma, biotech companies, government agencies, academic institutions, and not-for-profit organisations, all focused on ending the epidemic. These collaborations play a key role in advancing HIV cure research.

ViiV has worked with partners on the groundbreaking ‘induce and reduce’ research, which was heralded as ‘amongst the top ten most remarkable discoveries of 2020’ by the journal Nature.14

HOW CLOSE ARE SCIENTISTS TO FINDING A CURE FOR HIV? 

The effort to find a cure for HIV is a collective endeavour involving many research teams and organisations worldwide. Below we have listed a few of the most remarkable recent developments in HIV cure research:

  • Cord-blood stem-cell transplant leads to HIV remission in a woman – February 2022

    A woman living with HIV underwent a unique treatment using stem cells from cord blood (blood that remains in the placenta and umbilical cord following birth) and a relative's adult stem cells to treat her acute myeloid leukaemia. After stopping ART for 14 months, there was no evidence of HIV returning, signalling a potential breakthrough in HIV cure research.15

  • Geneva patient remains in remission without protective donor mutation – September 2024

    A man ‘cured’ of HIV, known as the 'Geneva patient', remained in HIV remission for 32 months after stopping ART following a stem-cell transplant to treat cancer. Unlike most previous remission cases, the donor cells did not carry the protective CCR5 mutation, suggesting that other effects of transplantation may also help clear the HIV reservoir.16

  • Combination immunotherapy supports HIV control after ART – December 2025

    A study tested a combination of an HIV vaccine, two antibodies designed to target a wide range of HIV strains, and a treatment that stimulates the immune system in ten people living with HIV. After stopping ART, seven kept HIV at low or undetectable levels for a period of time. In one person, the virus remained undetectable for more than 18 months.17

    Although this was a small study and the HIV reservoir did not consistently decrease, the findings suggest that combining immune-based treatments may help the body control HIV without ongoing ART. More research is needed.17

  • Second Berlin patient remains in remission for over six years – December 2025

    The ‘second Berlin patient’ was reported to have remained in HIV remission for more than six years after stopping ART. His donor carried only one copy (not two) of the protective CCR5 mutation, suggesting that complete HIV resistance in donor cells may not be essential for long-term remission.18

  • Oslo patient remains in HIV remission for three years – April 2026

    The ‘Oslo patient’ remained in HIV remission for three years after stopping ART following a stem-cell transplant from his brother, whose cells were naturally resistant to HIV. No active HIV was detected in his blood or gut.19

    Stem-cell transplants carry serious risks and are only used to treat certain blood cancers, so they are not scalable to 41 million people across the globe living with HIV.20,21 However, these rare cases are helping researchers develop safer approaches, including antibodies, vaccines, immune-based treatments and gene editing. No safe and widely available HIV cure currently exists, so ART remains essential.

  • Antibody studies reveal clues to longer-term HIV control – July 2026

    Studies presented at the 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, showed that antibody-based treatments helped some people control HIV for extended periods after stopping ART under medical supervision.22

    In one study, 16 of 28 people remained off ART for more than six months, while five remained off treatment for more than 72 weeks—including one for almost three years. Researchers found that lasting control may depend on adaptable immune cells, the body’s own antibodies, and the variety of hidden HIV in the body. These early findings could help guide future combinations of antibodies and vaccines, but they do not yet represent a cure.22

Developing an HIV cure is complex, requiring long-term commitment. At ViiV Healthcare, we aim to progress research from lab to clinical studies. Our mission: cure HIV, alleviate treatment burden and stigma, and leave no person living with HIV behind.

It is our life’s work to end the HIV epidemic, and we will be here until HIV isn’t.

If you or someone you know is living with HIV, you can actively contribute to the search for an HIV cure by participating in an HIV clinical trial or study.

Frequently asked questIons (FAQs)

  • Is HIV curable?

    No, there is currently no widely available cure for HIV. However, ART can reduce the amount of virus in the body to undetectable levels, allowing people with HIV to live long, healthy lives. Treatment must be continued to keep HIV under control.23,24

    A very small number of people have been cured following complex stem cell transplants undertaken to treat life-threatening cancers.15,16,18 These procedures carry significant risks and are not suitable as a routine cure for HIV.20 Researchers continue to investigate safer approaches to achieving long-term HIV remission or eliminating the virus from the body.13,17,22

  • Can HIV be cured if diagnosed early or within 72 hours of infection?

    No. There is currently no cure for HIV, including within the first 72 hours. However, if you may have been exposed to HIV within the past 72 hours, emergency medication called post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) may prevent HIV from taking hold in the body. PEP should be started as soon as possible, so contact a sexual health clinic or A&E immediately.25

  • Can AIDS be cured?

    Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, also known as AIDS, is the most advanced stage of HIV infection, and therefore there is currently no cure.26

    However, even after HIV has progressed to AIDS, ART can reduce the virus to undetectable levels and allow infection-fighting CD4 cells to recover, reducing the risk of opportunistic infections. ART should be started as soon as possible to provide the best chance of immune recovery.27

  • Can CRISPR cure HIV?

    Not currently. CRISPR is an experimental gene-editing technology being studied to remove or disable HIV hidden in the body. However, in an early human study, HIV returned in all three participants who stopped ART, suggesting that a single dose was not enough to control the virus without treatment. Research is continuing, but no CRISPR-based HIV cure has been approved, and ART remains essential for controlling HIV.28

  • What is the latest research into an HIV cure?

    Recent HIV cure research has focused on helping the immune system control the virus without continuous ART. In 2025 and 2026, studies found that some people maintained low or undetectable levels of HIV for extended periods after receiving combinations of vaccines, broadly neutralising antibodies and other immune-based treatments.17,22

    Rare cases of long-term HIV remission following stem-cell transplantation are also providing new insights into how the viral reservoir may be controlled or eliminated.15,16,18

    Researchers are using these findings to inform the development of safer approaches, including antibody combinations, therapeutic vaccines, immune-altering treatments, and gene editing. Some of these advances are promising, but they still remain experimental.17,22,28

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Abbreviations

AIDS, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome; ART, antiretroviral therapy; ARV, antiretroviral; CD4, cluster of differentiation 4; CCR5, C-C chemokine receptor type 5; CRISPR, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats; DNA, deoxyribonucleic acid; IAP, inhibitor of apoptosis protein; PEP, post-exposure prophylaxis; U=U, undetectable equals untransmittable.

References

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NP-GBL-HVX-COCO-230025 October 2026

Reporting of side effects

If you get any side effects, talk to your doctor, pharmacist, or nurse. This includes any possible side effects not listed in the package leaflet. You can also report side effects directly via the GSK Reporting Tool link https://gsk.public.reportum.com/. By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of this medicine.

If you are from outside the UK, you can report adverse events to GSK/ ViiV by selecting your region and market, here.