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Half the participants from placebo arm of HIV cure trial have prolonged viral load remission when given broadly neutralising antibodies In the second phase of the RIO HIV cure trial, participants originally given a placebo were offered the experimental therapy, the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) heard last week. More than half of them responded with a prolonged period of low or undetectable viral load and were able to put off resuming their HIV therapy for more than 20 weeks. Two are still off antiretroviral therapy (ART) after more than a year. [GLOSSARY]

News from CROI 2026: Half the participants from placebo arm of HIV cure trial have prolonged viral load remission when given broadly neutralising antibodies #CROI2026

YouTube video by aidsmap CROI 2026: How broadly neutralising antibodies help the immune system

At #CROI2026, Professor John Frater from the University of Oxford spoke with aidsmap.com's Roger Pebody about how broadly neutralising antibodies work in the body and help the immune system: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rwCO...
Find out more in our news story: www.aidsmap.com/news/mar-202... #CROI2026

Major US cohort reveals sharp racial disparities in HIV acquisition among trans women At the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) held in Denver last week, Dr Sari Reisner from the University of Michigan presented data on how many transgender women in a national US cohort acquired HIV over a two-year period, and the factors associated with getting HIV. “Our study found that HIV incidence remains high among trans women in the US and that disparities persist across race and ethnicity, with highest HIV incidence for Black, Latina and Asian trans women,” Reisner stated.

News from CROI 2026: Major US cohort reveals sharp racial disparities in HIV acquisition among trans women #CROI2026

People with HIV fare as well as those without it after liver transplants Data presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) held in Denver, US showed comparable long-term liver transplant outcomes after 15 years between people with and without HIV.  “These results are encouraging and support liver transplants in people with HIV when clinically indicated,” Dr José Miró, from the Hospital Clinic of Barcelona, Spain, told the audience.

News from CROI 2026: People with HIV fare as well as those without it after liver transplants #CROI2026

Home visits and flexible PrEP cut HIV incidence by 70% in rural Kenya and Uganda Home-based testing and referral to clinics for biomedical prevention reduced HIV incidence in two districts in rural Kenya and Uganda by 70% after two years of the intervention, the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver heard last week. The SEARCH Community Precision Health study randomised 16 communities in Kenya and Uganda to continue quarterly home visits by a community health worker, plus clinic-based HIV testing, PrEP, and HIV treatment, or to an enhanced intervention.

News from CROI 2026: Home visits and flexible PrEP cut HIV incidence by 70% in rural Kenya and Uganda #CROI2026

Doravirine/islatravir non-inferior to <i>Biktarvy</i> as first-line treatment A once-daily combination of doravirine and islatravir was non-inferior to the three-drug combination of bictegravir, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide (Biktarvy) as a first-line antiretroviral regimen in an international trial, Professor Jürgen Rockstroh of the University of Bonn reported last week at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver.

News from CROI 2026: Doravirine/islatravir non-inferior to Biktarvy as first-line treatment #CROI2026

Machine learning: shortcut or short-circuit to enhanced HIV outcomes? At the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) held in Denver, US this week, scientists discussed how machine learning and generative AI can be used to improve various HIV outcomes.

News from CROI 2026: Machine learning: shortcut or short-circuit to enhanced HIV outcomes? #CROI2026

YouTube video by aidsmap CROI 2026: Statins and hypertension

At CROI 2026, Dr Esteban Martinez from Barcelona’s Hospital Clinic spoke with aidsmap.com's Roger Pebody about the impact of statins on high blood pressure in people living with HIV. www.youtube.com/watch?v=l13B...
Read our news article to find out more: www.aidsmap.com/news/feb-202...
#CROI2026

Bictegravir/lenacapavir combination pill could be an option for people taking complex regimens A once-daily combination pill containing bictegravir and lenacapavir could offer a simpler alternative for people with HIV who are taking complex antiretroviral regimens, according to study results presented yesterday at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026)&nbsp;in Denver.

News from CROI 2026: Bictegravir/lenacapavir combination pill could be an option for people taking complex regimens #CROI2026

Our first bulletin of news from CROI 2026 is now online: https://bit.ly/croi2026-1 
Sign up to receive our next two #CROI2026 bulletins, plus our regular monthly news bulletin: https://www.aidsmap.com/subscribe

Counting the costs of global HIV funding disruptions In a session on US government funding cuts at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) held in Denver, US this week, Dr Jennifer Kates, from the Kaiser Family Foundation, started by asking a crucial question: “What’s the impact on people?”

News from CROI 2026: Counting the costs of global HIV funding disruptions #CROI2026

PrEP uptake was already low – and then came the cuts Even before the Trump government slashed its overseas HIV budget last year, with prevention facing some of the deepest cuts, very few countries in the world had enough people using PrEP to substantially reduce their HIV infection rate, or even to make a noticeable dent in it.

News from CROI 2026: PrEP uptake was already low – and then came the cuts #CROI2026

Dual immune modulators delay, but don’t prevent, HIV rebound after stopping antiretrovirals A pair of immune-modulating drugs, budigalimab and trosunilimab, appeared to slow viral rebound in about a quarter of people with HIV who stopped antiretroviral therapy (ART), according to study results presented this week at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026)&nbsp;in Denver. Some participants eventually saw their viral load rise with further follow-up, however, and development of this combination will not continue.

News from CROI 2026: Dual immune modulators delay, but don’t prevent, HIV rebound after stopping antiretrovirals #CROI2026

Oropharyngeal cancer is becoming more common in heterosexual men with HIV Cancer in the back of the mouth or throat (oropharyngeal cancer) is no longer a rare cancer in some groups of people with HIV, especially heterosexual men, a large North American study reported at the&nbsp;Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026)&nbsp;in Denver, US on Monday.

News from CROI 2026: Oropharyngeal cancer is becoming more common in heterosexual men with HIV #CROI2026

Statin treatment reduces blood pressure in people with HIV, REPRIEVE trial shows Developing high blood pressure doubled the risk of experiencing a cardiovascular event, such as a stroke or heart attack, in the REPRIEVE study of statin treatment in people with HIV, and being assigned to pitavastatin significantly reduced the risk of developing high blood pressure, study investigators reported at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver on Monday.

News from CROI 2026: Statin treatment reduces blood pressure in people with HIV, REPRIEVE trial shows #CROI2026

French study confirms efficacy of on-demand PrEP Eight years after it started, the final results of a large French study that offered a choice of daily or event-driven oral PrEP (using tenofovir disoproxil/emtricitabine) were presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026)&nbsp;in Denver, US yesterday.

News from CROI 2026: French study confirms efficacy of on-demand PrEP #CROI2026

The war on science: resisting and rebuilding at a crucial juncture Peter Staley’s talk at the opening session of the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver was a grim post-mortem of one of the most challenging years in recent HIV history – an ‘annus horribilis’ – a phrase Queen Elizabeth II used to describe 1992 and The Lancet applied to 2025.

News from CROI 2026: The war on science: resisting and rebuilding at a crucial juncture #CROI2026

CD8 cell fitness predicts who benefits most from antibody-based cure strategies Over the last few years a number of studies aiming to cure HIV or at least achieve long-term viral suppression off antiretroviral therapy (ART) have produced tantalising results. These studies have given participants one or both of the long-acting versions of two broadly neutralising antibodies (bnAbs), 3BNC117 (teropavimab) and 10-1074 (zinlirvimab), sometimes in conjunction with immune boosting oral drugs.

CD8 cell fitness predicts who benefits most from antibody-based cure strategies

Next week, we are reporting from CROI 2026. All of our #CROI2026 news stories and bulletins will be published on our conference webpage: https://www.aidsmap.com/conferences/croi-2026

Next week, aidsmap will be reporting from CROI 2026. To receive our three conference bulletins and any future emails from aidsmap, sign up to our mailing list https://www.aidsmap.com/subscribe #CROI2026

The law on confidentiality and HIV status This page gives you information about the law on confidentiality and disclosure of HIV status in in the UK.

In the UK, it's unlawful for organisations to share your HIV status without a good reason. Our page gives you information about the law in the UK when it comes to keeping your HIV status private, and when and how it can be shared.

How do I know if I have HIV? Having an HIV test is the only way to know for sure whether you have HIV. It’s very important to have it diagnosed.

How do I know if I have HIV?
Having an HIV test is the only way to know for sure whether you have HIV. If you have HIV, it’s very important that it’s diagnosed. #NHTW #HIVTestingWeek

Better off knowing Easy-to-read and illustrated information on why it is better to have an HIV test and know your HIV status.

The sooner you know you have HIV, the sooner you can get the medical care you need. Finding out you have HIV can be hard, but in terms of looking after your health, it's much better to know. #NHTW #HIVTestingWeek

News from CROI 2026 coming soon The 33rd Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) is taking place in Denver, US, from 22 to 25 February. CROI is an annual scientific conference and was established to “provide a forum for basic scientists and clinical investigators to present, discuss, and critique their investigations into the epidemiology and biology of human retroviruses and associated diseases”. CROI 2026 will feature research and discussions on:

CROI 2026 is taking place in Denver, US, from 22 to 25 February. aidsmap will be reporting on key research presented at #CROI2026, publishing news online and sending out three summary bulletins by email. 

Immigration and poverty tied to heightened HIV risk in the Netherlands There is a strong social gradient associated with HIV diagnoses in the Netherlands, Dr Vita Jongen from Stichting HIV Monitoring and colleagues report in The Lancet Regional Health – Europe. People who are poorer or are first-generation immigrants are much more likely to be diagnosed with HIV, while intersections between poverty and migration further increase their vulnerability.

Immigration and poverty tied to heightened HIV risk in the Netherlands

Testing Easy-to-read and illustrated information on HIV testing in the UK.

HIV testing in the UK is free, voluntary and confidential. You can be tested at a sexual health clinic, a GP surgery, community testing project or at home using a self-test. #NHTW #HIVTestingWeek

People with undetectable HIV age cognitively at the same rate as those without HIV Cognitive decline in virally suppressed people with HIV followed a similar trend and speed as in people without HIV as they aged, while people with HIV who failed to achieve or maintain stable viral suppression experienced a steeper age-related decline in cognition, report Dr James Kennedy and colleagues in a large long-term study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases.

People with undetectable HIV age cognitively at the same rate as those without HIV

Travel insurance for people with HIV Many travel insurance providers will now cover people with HIV, but this may incur an additional cost. This page reflects the personal finance market in the UK.

Can I get travel insurance with HIV? Do I have to declare HIV for travel insurance? Will other health conditions affect my insurance? We've answered some common questions about travel insurance for people with HIV in the UK.

An elite controller is a person with HIV who is able to maintain undetectable viral loads for at least 12 months despite not having started HIV treatment. It's not entirely understood why some people are able to do this. https://www.aidsmap.com/about-hiv/faq/what-elite-controller

How treatment works Easy-to-read and illustrated information on how different types of anti-HIV drugs work against HIV.

All anti-HIV drugs try to prevent HIV infecting new cells, but different types of drugs do this in different ways. Read our illustrated page on how anti-HIV drugs work against HIV.