The 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) is being held at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from July 26-31, 2026. AIDS 2026 is the flagship biennial scientific and community gathering of the International AIDS Society (IAS). Conference theme: 'Rethink. Rebuild. Rise.' Up to 10,000 attendees participate in person and virtually across the seven-day program.
Pre-conference sessions opened Sunday July 26, 2026 with PATH, WHO, and Unitaid programming on 'Advancing HIV Prevention Science and Access'. The main conference opens Monday July 27 with the UNAIDS 'United to End AIDS' report release providing the latest 2025 HIV data and the WHO's first global mid-term assessment of progress under the Global Health Sector Strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (marking the halfway point to the 2030 targets).
On this site, AIDS 2026 coverage centers on the peptide-adjacent HIV modality readouts that define the current prevention and treatment landscape. Gilead Sciences is presenting long-term open-label extension data from the Phase 3 PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 trials of twice-yearly lenacapavir (Yeztugo). Gilead and Merck are presenting detailed Phase 3 ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 data on once-weekly oral islatravir/lenacapavir (ISL/LEN) as the late-breaker on Wednesday July 29. Merck is presenting daily, weekly, and monthly HIV treatment and prevention pipeline updates including alimatravir (MK-8527), the investigational once-monthly oral HIV prevention pill licensed July 24 to Aspen Pharmacare and six other generic manufacturers for 129 low- and middle-income countries. Stories here cover data presentations, plenary highlights, and the intersection with global HIV prevention access.
The 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) closed Friday July 31, 2026 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after six days of programming under the conference theme 'Rethink. Rebuild. Rise.' Approximately 10,000 attendees participated in person and virtually. Signature presentations across the week: the Wednesday July 29 Gilead-Merck ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 late-breaker with Week 48 detailed Phase 3 data on the investigational once-weekly oral single-tablet islatravir 2 mg / lenacapavir 300 mg regimen (0% ISLEND-1 vs 0.3% daily Biktarvy at Week 48; 0.3% ISLEND-2 vs 1.3% daily standard-of-care); Gilead's twice-yearly subcutaneous lenacapavir (Yeztugo for HIV prevention) 52-week open-label extension data from Phase 3 PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 (zero new infections across 7,178 person-years, one infection across 5,295 person-years); the Monday July 27 UNAIDS 'United to End AIDS' 2025 data report on 2025 HIV funding cuts; and Thursday July 30 lenacapavir implementation-science programming with a cross-country demand generation playbook for scale-up. Generic lenacapavir from Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Hetero Labs, and four other manufacturers is expected in 2027 at approximately $40 per person per year across 120 low- and lower-middle-income countries. The next International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2028) will be held in Barcelona, Spain.
The 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) Day 4 continued Thursday July 30, 2026 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro. Two Thursday programming highlights: a cross-country implementation learning presentation on lenacapavir demand generation (16:33-16:41 BRT / 3:33-3:41 PM EDT) that introduces a structured demand generation playbook supporting effective introduction and uptake of lenacapavir within a broader PrEP Choice framework, following the Wednesday late-breaker on the Gilead-Merck ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 detailed Phase 3 data and the 52-week PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 open-label extension data on twice-yearly injectable lenacapavir. The ANRS RHIVIERA consortium (French research agency) satellite symposium (18:00-19:30 BRT) covers 'Treatment interruption and treatment resumption: lessons learned from HIV cure clinical trials,' addressing the analytical treatment interruption (ATI) research methodology and the observational learnings from HIV cure-focused trials that have paused antiretroviral therapy to test cure candidates. The conference closes Friday July 31 with the closing session and additional late-breaker presentations. Generic lenacapavir from Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Hetero Labs, and four other manufacturers is expected in 2027 at approximately $40 per person per year across 120 low- and lower-middle-income countries.
Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) and Merck (NYSE: MRK) presented detailed Phase 3 ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 Week 48 data during the late-breaking session at AIDS 2026 Wednesday July 29, 2026 in Rio de Janeiro. The investigational once-weekly oral single-tablet regimen of islatravir 2 mg / lenacapavir 300 mg (ISL/LEN) demonstrated non-inferior efficacy versus daily standard-of-care antiretroviral therapy in virologically-suppressed adults living with HIV who switched from daily Biktarvy (ISLEND-1) or other daily oral regimens (ISLEND-2). Primary endpoint results: 0% of ISLEND-1 participants on once-weekly ISL/LEN had HIV-1 RNA at 50 copies/mL or higher at Week 48 compared to 0.3% remaining on daily Biktarvy; in the open-label ISLEND-2 trial, 0.3% of participants on ISL/LEN had HIV-1 RNA at 50 copies/mL or higher versus 1.3% on daily standard-of-care regimens. Safety profile was generally similar to comparator regimens with no new safety signals identified. The Week 48 data will support planned regulatory submissions for the first once-weekly oral HIV treatment regimen. Lenacapavir is Gilead's first-in-class HIV capsid inhibitor; islatravir is Merck's nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitor (NRTTI).
Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) presented 52-week open-label extension (OLE) long-term data from the Phase 3 PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 trials of twice-yearly subcutaneous lenacapavir (Yeztugo, FDA-approved June 2025) for HIV prevention (pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP) at AIDS 2026 Wednesday July 29, 2026. PURPOSE 1 documented zero new HIV infections among participants receiving twice-yearly lenacapavir across more than 7,178 person-years of open-label follow-up at Week 52; PURPOSE 2 documented one HIV infection among participants continuing lenacapavir across 5,295 person-years. The 52-week OLE data confirms continued high efficacy, high adherence (participants generally reliably return for the twice-yearly injection), and consistent safety profile across broad and geographically diverse populations. Yeztugo has now been deployed in 10 priority sub-Saharan African countries including South Africa (national program launched June 5, 2026 by President Cyril Ramaphosa in Secunda, Mpumalanga), Zambia, and Eswatini through PEPFAR and Global Fund investments. Generic versions from Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Hetero Labs, and four other manufacturers are expected in 2027 at approximately $40 per person per year across 120 low- and lower-middle-income countries.
The 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) Day 2 continues Tuesday July 28, 2026 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Key Tuesday programming includes: the World Health Organization (WHO) interactive workshop in Room 101C from 14:30-16:30 BRT on practical approaches to sustaining HIV, tuberculosis (TB), viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) services for key populations through integrated primary health care (particularly timely following the UNAIDS 'United to End AIDS' report Monday documenting 2025 HIV funding cuts); the European AIDS Treatment Group (EATG) poster sessions Tuesday and Wednesday on the SCOPE, Belong, and RBDCOV research projects; the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) cost-effectiveness presentation on dual HIV/syphilis and triplex HIV/syphilis/HBV rapid diagnostic testing among pregnant women in Kenya and South Africa (15:27-15:35 BRT); and the ViiV Healthcare peer-support-in-HIV-care session from 12:00-13:00 BRT. All abstracts (oral, poster, e-poster, and late-breaker) became available on-demand on Monday July 27 at 14:00 BRT for registered delegates, with on-demand session recordings available 4-12 hours after they take place. The main peptide-adjacent industry late-breaker (Gilead-Merck ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 detailed data) is scheduled for Wednesday July 29.
The 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) main conference opened Monday July 27, 2026 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The opening ceremony ran 15:00-16:30 local time in the Global Village. UNAIDS released its 'United to End AIDS' 2025 data report on the opening day, documenting the severity of 2025 HIV funding cuts and their impact on HIV prevention, community services, key populations, and the sustainability of the global AIDS response. The WHO launched its first global mid-term assessment of progress under the Global Health Sector Strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections, marking the halfway point to the 2030 targets and providing a comprehensive overview of where the world stands on the SDG 3.3 targets. Peptide-adjacent HIV modality content this week includes Gilead Sciences's twice-yearly lenacapavir (first-in-class HIV capsid inhibitor) PURPOSE 1 and PURPOSE 2 long-term extension data and the Gilead-Merck once-weekly oral islatravir/lenacapavir Phase 3 ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 detailed data late-breaker scheduled for Wednesday July 29. Merck plans separate presentations across daily, weekly, and monthly HIV treatment and prevention pipeline including alimatravir (MK-8527), the investigational once-monthly oral HIV prevention pill licensed July 24 to Aspen Pharmacare and six other generic manufacturers for 129 low- and middle-income countries.
The 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) pre-conference sessions open Sunday July 26, 2026 at Riocentro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil with PATH, WHO, and Unitaid programming focused on 'Advancing HIV Prevention Science and Access' between 08:00-13:00 local time. Twice-yearly lenacapavir (Gilead's Yeztugo, FDA-approved June 2025) has been deployed in 10 priority sub-Saharan African countries including South Africa (Secunda, Mpumalanga launch by President Cyril Ramaphosa on June 5, 2026), Zambia, and Eswatini through PEPFAR and Global Fund investments. Generic versions from Dr. Reddy's Laboratories, Hetero Labs, and four other manufacturers are expected in 2027 at approximately $40 per person per year following Gates Foundation and Unitaid partnership announcements in September 2025 (compared to the current US Yeztugo list price of approximately $28,218 per person per year). The main conference opens Monday July 27 with the UNAIDS 'United to End AIDS' report release providing 2025 HIV data and the WHO's first global mid-term assessment of progress under the Global Health Sector Strategies on HIV, viral hepatitis, and sexually transmitted infections (marking the halfway point to the 2030 targets). Up to 10,000 attendees are expected in person and virtually across the seven-day program running through Friday July 31. Conference theme: 'Rethink. Rebuild. Rise.'
The 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) opens Sunday July 26, 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and runs through Friday July 31. Two peptide-adjacent HIV modality readouts anchor the industry program. Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD) will present twice-yearly lenacapavir (first-in-class HIV capsid inhibitor) long-term open-label extension data from the Phase 3 PURPOSE 1 trial, where zero new HIV infections occurred among participants receiving lenacapavir across more than 7,178 person-years of follow-up at Week 52, and from PURPOSE 2, where one HIV infection occurred among participants continuing lenacapavir across 5,295 person-years of follow-up. Separately, Gilead and Merck's once-weekly oral single-tablet islatravir 2 mg / lenacapavir 300 mg (ISL/LEN) Phase 3 ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 detailed data is scheduled for the late-breaking session on Wednesday July 29. Topline released July 21 showed 0% of ISLEND-1 once-weekly ISL/LEN participants had HIV-1 RNA at 50 copies/mL or higher at Week 48 (versus 0.3% remaining on daily Biktarvy). Merck plans separate presentations across its daily, weekly, and monthly HIV treatment and prevention pipeline including alimatravir (MK-8527), the investigational once-monthly oral HIV prevention pill licensed Friday July 24 to Aspen Pharmacare and six other generic manufacturers for 129 low- and middle-income countries.
The 26th International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2026) opens Sunday July 26, 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and runs through July 31. Gilead Sciences and Merck's Phase 3 ISLEND-1 and ISLEND-2 detailed data on the investigational once-weekly oral HIV treatment regimen islatravir 2 mg / lenacapavir 300 mg (ISL/LEN) is scheduled for the late-breaking session on Wednesday July 29. Topline numbers released July 21 showed 0% of once-weekly ISL/LEN participants had HIV-1 RNA at 50 copies/mL or higher at Week 48 in ISLEND-1 (versus 0.3% of participants who remained on daily Biktarvy). In ISLEND-2, 0.3% of participants receiving weekly ISL/LEN had HIV-1 RNA at 50 copies/mL or higher versus 1.3% on daily standard of care regimens. Safety profile was generally similar to comparator regimens with no new signals identified. Lenacapavir is a first-in-class HIV capsid inhibitor (peptide-adjacent modality); islatravir is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase translocation inhibitor (NRTTI). The data will support planned regulatory submissions and represents the first once-weekly oral HIV treatment regimen to clear Phase 3 endpoints. Merck also plans to present daily, weekly, and monthly HIV treatment and prevention pipeline updates at AIDS 2026.