Lifesaving treatment: Starting with protease inhibitors, which revolutionized the treatment of HIV and led to a drastic reduction in AIDS-related deaths, amfAR’s research has contributed to the development of four of the six main classes of antiretroviral drugs in use today.

HIV transmission: amfAR’s first international research grant, awarded in 1987, supported a landmark study in Kenya that showed that HIV transmission can occur from females to males (in addition to vice versa).

Expanding research capacity: In 1989, amfAR established a Community-Based Clinical Trials network, which showed that involving the HIV community in clinical research expanded research capacity and expedited the drug approval process.

CCR5, a key protein: amfAR funded research showing that HIV almost always requires a protein called CCR5 to enter and infect cells. This breakthrough led to the development of the anti-HIV drug maraviroc, which blocks CCR5.

First HIV cure: The discovery of CCR5 paved the way to the first case of an HIV cure in 2008. Timothy Ray Brown—the Berlin patient—was cured through a stem cell transplant using donor cells lacking the CCR5 gene. amfAR-supported researchers confirmed that all virus had been eliminated.

Subsequent cures: amfAR funded and launched a European research consortium, IciStem, which succeeded in replicating the first cure through a similar procedure involving patients in London, England, and Düsseldorf, Germany.

Mother-to-child HIV transmission: amfAR pioneered research that led to the use of antiretroviral drugs to prevent mothers from passing HIV on to their infants. As a result, this mode of transmission has been all but eliminated in many parts of the world.

Covid-19 and a Nobel prize: amfAR grantee Dr. Drew Weissman, along with collaborator Dr. Katalin Karikó, was awarded the 2023 Nobel Prize for pioneering work on mRNA, which proved instrumental in the development of effective vaccines for Covid-19.

Awakening dormant virus: amfAR funded groundbreaking research that in 2025 showed that dormant HIV could be reactivated using mRNA technology—making infected cells visible to the immune system and overcoming a major barrier to curing HIV.

Revolutionizing diagnosis: amfAR supported the development of a technique to detect viral RNA that is now used in viral load testing and has helped improve diagnosis and monitoring of HIV infection.

Cultivating early-career scientists: In 2008, amfAR launched the Mathilde Krim Fellowships in Biomedical Research, named for amfAR’s Founding Chairman, to provide critical funding to aspiring young investigators who will become the HIV research leaders of tomorrow.

Responding to HIV/AIDS in Asia: In 2001, amfAR created TREAT Asia, a network of clinics, hospitals, and research institutions working to ensure the safe and effective delivery of HIV/AIDS treatments across Asia and the Pacific.

Monitoring treatment outcomes: Established Asia’s first HIV/AIDS observational databases to monitor disease course and treatment outcomes among children and adults living with HIV, generating information that helps to improve treatment delivery.

Improving HIV and hepatitis services: Established community-led monitoring activities in India and Indonesia to gather patient-level feedback and document efforts to improve the quality of HIV and hepatitis services.

Working at the intersection of HIV and mental health: Initiated the first regional training program on HIV, mental health, and implementation science research, building capacity to improve mental health care for people living with HIV in Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Thailand.

Passing key legislation: amfAR played a central role in securing the passage of federal legislation that remains the bedrock of the domestic response to HIV. This includes the Hope Act of 1988, the first comprehensive federal AIDS legislation, and the Ryan White CARE Act of 1990, which provides emergency relief to hard-hit states and local communities.

Expanding access to treatment: amfAR was instrumental in convincing Congress to establish the first AIDS drug assistance program to help low-income Americans cover the high cost of HIV/AIDS medications.

Treatment and trials information: Through its HIV/AIDS Treatment Directory, amfAR was among the first to compile and disseminate detailed information on HIV/AIDS treatments and clinical trials for people with HIV/AIDS and healthcare professionals.

Other disease breakthroughs: AIDS research has provided insights into a range of diseases, their causes, and their treatment. Better diagnostic methods, therapies to restore the immune system, newer preventive antibiotics and drugs, and new treatments for infectious diseases and cancer were all developed in the course of AIDS research.