The national system of HIV clinical trials has been reorganized and refined. Specifically, the new structure divides trials into four distinct networks, each with its own leadership and area of focus. The goal is to increase efficiency, reduce costs and allow researchers not only to work better together but also be able to pivot to emergent infectious diseases, such as COVID-19.

In announcing the system upgrade, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) also awarded grants to 35 U.S. and international HIV clinical trials units and said more than $375 million in federal funds will go to the networks the first year.

The new system of clinical trials focuses on four key areas of research:

  • HIV prevention
  • HIV vaccines
  • HIV treatment, therapies and drugs for adults
  • Maternal, adolescent and pediatric HIV treatment, therapies and drugs.

Below are the four HIV clinical trials networks, as listed by the NIAID, which says, “Each network is led by a leadership and operations center (LOC) and includes a laboratory center (LC) and a statistical and data management center (SDMC).” The principal investigators, institutions and grant numbers for these awards are as follows:

HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN)
LOC: Lawrence Corey, Dan H. Barouch, Glenda E. Gray, Georgia D. Tomaras; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle; 2 UM1 AI068614-15
LC: Margaret J. McElrath; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle; 2 UM1 AI068618-15
SDMC: Peter B. Gilbert, Yunda Huang, Holly Janes; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle; 2 UM1 AI068635-15

HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN)
LOC: Myron S. Cohen, Wafaa M. El-Sadr; Family Health International, Durham, North Carolina; 2 UM1 AI068619-15
LC: Susan H. Eshleman; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; 2 UM1 AI068613-15
SDMC: Deborah J. Donnell; Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle; 2 UM1 AI068617-15

AIDS Clinical Trials Group (ACTG)
LOC: Judith S. Currier, Joseph J. Eron; University of California, Los Angeles; 2 UM1 AI068636-15
LC: Grace M. Aldrovandi; University of California, Los Angeles; 2 UM1 AI106701-08
SDMC: Michael D. Hughes, Marlene Cooper; Harvard School of Public Health, Boston; 2 UM1 AI068634-15

International Maternal Pediatric Adolescent AIDS Clinical Trials Network (IMPAACT)
LOC: Sharon A. Nachman; Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore; 2 UM1 AI068632-15
LC: Grace M. Aldrovandi; University of California, Los Angeles; 2 UM1 AI106716-09
SDMC: David E. Shapiro, Marlene Cooper; Harvard School of Public Health, Boston; 2 UM1 AI068616-15

The networks conduct research through 35 clinical trial units, each with up to eight clinical research sites. The units work with a total of 101 research sites in 18 countries. To learn details about each of the 35 units, click here.