Progress in the treatment of HIV infection: Based on data presented at the XVIII International AIDS Conference (July 18-23, 2010, Vienna)

The International AIDS Conference continues to be a forum for the dissemination of important and relevant scientific information on the treatment and management of HIV infection. The most important information from AIDS 2010 was the results of the microbicide CAPRISA 004 trial. After years of negative results, we finally have the proof that impacting the transmission of HIV through a woman-controlled, biomedical intervention is possible. This is huge progress and further developments in microbicides, as well as preexposure prophylaxis, are eagerly awaited. The antiretroviral development pipeline does not appear to be as robust as in recent years. However, it seems very likely that clinicians will have available another one-pill, once-daily treatment option in the near future with continued development of rilpivirine. Several reports from this conference highlight our continued attempts to refine HIV treatment strategies. While the results are mostly preliminary, mixed and not ready for immediate clinical application, treatment options for those who could not tolerate a certain class of antiretroviral drugs have certainly expanded and one can expect further paradigm shifts in the future in the composition of antiretroviral treatment regimens.