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Immune modulator N-803 does not control HIV rebound, suggesting a combination approach is needed for a functional cure Most people with HIV who received the immune-modulating drug N-803 (Anktiva), with or without broadly neutralising antibodies (bnAbs), did not experience delayed viral rebound after stopping antiretroviral treatment, but they did show some favourable changes in immune response and the viral reservoir, according to a set of posters presented at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver.

News from CROI 2026: Immune modulator N-803 does not control HIV rebound, suggesting a combination approach is needed for a functional cure #CROI2026

Vaccine fails to prevent gonorrhoea in Australian study A trial of a vaccine against gonorrhoea found that it was no more effective than a placebo, in a result described as “unexpected and somewhat disappointing, but very clear” when presented to the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver last week.

News from CROI 2026: Vaccine fails to prevent gonorrhoea in Australian study #CROI2026

New antiretrovirals in the pipeline could be part of twice-yearly HIV treatment Three experimental injectable antiretrovirals – a novel capsid inhibitor and two next-generation integrase inhibitors – could be components of future long-acting HIV treatment regimens, according to study results presented last week at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver.

News from CROI 2026: New antiretrovirals in the pipeline could be part of twice-yearly HIV treatment #CROI2026

Multi-component app improves viral suppression in men who use crystal meth At the recent Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver, US, the use of an app for men with HIV who also use illicit stimulants led to 58% lower odds of having a detectable viral load after six months, when compared to a control group who did not use the app in a fully remote randomised controlled trial.

News from CROI 2026: Multi-component app improves viral suppression in men who use crystal meth #CROI2026

YouTube video by aidsmap CROI 2026: 4CMenB vaccine against gonorrhoea

At #CROI2026, Professor Kate Seib and Professor Andrew Grulich talked to aidsmap.com's Roger Pebody about the 4CMenB vaccine against gonorrhoea. www.youtube.com/watch?v=wa-u...
Find out more in our news article: www.aidsmap.com/news/mar-202...

African paediatric studies at CROI: HIV remission in children, three bNAbs in babies, two years on injectables in teens A number of innovative approaches to treating children were presented at last week’s Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver, US. Several were based on the fact that infants have good prospects for long-term viral suppression without antiretroviral therapy (ART). Failing that, children and adolescents, who may have particular problems with adherence to daily pills, are prime candidates for long-acting injectable formulations.

African paediatric studies at #CROI2026: HIV remission in children, three bNAbs in babies, two years on injectables in teens

On Friday, we are sending out our final summary bulletin of news from #CROI2026. Make sure you've signed up at: https://www.aidsmap.com/subscribe 
Read our second bulletin on aidsmap.com: https://www.aidsmap.com/bulletin/conference-news/croi-2026/2-march-2026

YouTube video by aidsmap CROI 2026: PrEP uptake is far too low

At #CROI2026, Dr Andrew Hill from the University of Liverpool spoke to aidsmap.com's @rogerpebody.bsky.social about PrEP uptake being too low globally to make a difference to the HIV epidemic. www.youtube.com/watch?v=l32X...
Find out more in our news article: www.aidsmap.com/news/feb-202...

Broadly neutralising antibody plus cabotegravir maintains viral suppression for at least a year A broadly neutralising antibody from ViiV Healthcare, now named lotivibart, could potentially be paired with cabotegravir injections for long-acting HIV treatment, according to the latest results from the EMBRACE study presented last week at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2026) in Denver.

News from CROI 2026: Broadly neutralising antibody plus cabotegravir maintains viral suppression for at least a year #CROI2026

YouTube video by aidsmap CROI 2026: An alternative to complex regimens

At #CROI2026, Professor Chloe Orkin from Queen Mary University of London spoke to aidsmap.com's Roger Pebody about a combination of bictegravir and lenacapavir which could be an option for people taking complex regimens. www.youtube.com/watch?v=qW5F...
Find out more www.aidsmap.com/news/feb-202...

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