The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Wed, Oct 23, 2019 Subject: NIH/Gates Foundation Collaboration to Develop Accessible, Gene-Based Cures for Sickle Cell Disease and HIV

Today NIH and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation announced plans to investment at least $100 million each over the next four years toward an ambitious goal to develop affordable, gene-based cures for sickle cell disease (SCD) and HIV. Because SCD and HIV disproportionately affect populations living in Africa or of African descent, the collaboration will focus on aligning research efforts to develop gene-based curative therapies that can be delivered safely, effectively and affordably anywhere around the world, including in low-resource settings. The collaboration sets a bold goal of advancing gene-based cures to clinical trials in the United States and relevant countries in sub-Saharan Africa within the next seven to 10 years.