Insights: New Hope for an HIV Cure

More than 37.9 million people around the world are living with HIV, including 1.1 million people in the U.S.*

As the infection progresses, the immune system is destroyed, making patients more vulnerable to other infections and diseases. Without medicine, people with AIDS—or late-stage HIV—typically survive about three years.

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has increased the life expectancy of people with HIV by decades. However, ART must be taken every day for the rest of an individual’s life. Non-adherence rates for ARTs are estimated at 30%, which increases the likelihood that HIV will progress to AIDS. Even with continuous ART, there are reservoirs of latent virus that hide away in infected cells, which has been the major hurdle to an HIV cure.

But a cure is on the horizon.

Scientists at Sanford Burnham Prebys have created a drug that appears e­ffective at rendering dormant HIV susceptible to elimination. The aim is cure HIV by activating and then eliminating all pockets of dormant HIV in the body—once and for all.

Join with the Sanford Burnham Prebys scientists leading the research for a cure, leaders from the LGBTQIA+ community and HIV patients to discuss and explore how to cure HIV.

A Q&A session will follow the presentation and will give you an opportunity to personally connect with our scientists and have your questions answered.

Lars Pache, Ph.D.
Research Assistant Professor
Immunity and Pathogenesis Program
Infectious and Inflammatory Diseases Center
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute

Max Disposti, M.S., N.P.M.L.
Founder and Executive Director
North County LGBTQ Resource Center

Raphael Rubalcaba
HIV Supportive Services Specialist
Advantage Healthcare Services

Allison Limpert, Ph.D.
Staff Scientist
Cell and Molecular Biology of Cancer Program
NCI-Designated Cancer Center
Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute