According to a report released today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) there are currently 92 vaccines and medicines in development for HIV/AIDS.
Of the 92 product in development PhRMA found that researchers are studying 46 antivirals and 20 vaccines which are either in clinical human studies or awaiting U.S. FDA approval.
"We are greatly encouraged by the new, critically-important medicines and vaccines in development to treat and prevent HIV infection," says PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin. "Pharmaceutical researchers are continuing their efforts to develop new therapies and vaccines to improve and lengthen the lives of HIV-infected patients."
December 1 will mark the 20th anniversary of "World AIDS Day" and though there have been 30 medicines approved for use in that time, AIDS remains a growing health problem worldwide. It is estimated that 32.7 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2006.
"With HIV/AIDS medicines, a disease that was once a virtual death sentence can now be controlled and treated as if it were a chronic disease," adds Tauzin. "And the new medicines our scientists are working on right now bring hope for even more promising results in the future."
The full report is available on the PhRMA website.
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