GEMS
The Global Evaluation of Microbicide Sensitivity (GEMS) monitors HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) in PrEP seroconverters in project-based and national roll-out programs in sub-Saharan Africa. GEMS activities include:
- Laboratory research to improve HIVDR testing assays and test diverse sample types for HIVDR using sensitive methods.
- Modeling to evaluate the impact of HIVDR on PrEP and antiretroviral treatment (ART) strategies.
- Technical support and policy guidance for HIVDR assessment in seroconverters to PrEP programs.
- Implementation of HIVDR monitoring strategies in select countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
GEMS developed toolkit materials to assist ministries of health, project implementers and policy makers develop HIVDR monitoring strategies and support the collection and testing of blood samples for HIVDR testing.
Materials for Implementing Partners and Policy Makers
Materials for Healthcare Workers
Materials for Laboratory Personnel
Presentations and Publications
- Poster presentation, “Does the E138A mutation in ASPIRE seroconverters affect susceptibility to Dapivirine?” at CROI, Seattle, WA, USA, Feb 2017
- Oral presentation, “The E138A Mutation Amplifies Resistance to Dapivirine in Combination with NNRTI Mutations”, at International Workshop on HIV Drug Resistance, Johannesburg, South Africa, Nov 2017
- Poster presentation, “Monitoring Strategies for HIV Drug Resistance in PrEP Rollout Settings,” at AIDS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Jul 2018
- Poster presentation, “Potential effectiveness and cost effectiveness of condomless sex targeted PrEP in KZN, South Africa: considerations of drug resistance, ART regimen and HIV testing frequency,” at AIDS, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, Jul 2018
- Poster presentation, “Sensitive HIVDR NGS Testing with and without Unique Molecular Identifiers” at University of Pittsburgh Department of Medicine research day, May 2018
- Poster presentation, “Policy Recommendations for ART in PrEP Seroconverters,” at HIV R4P, Madrid, Spain, Oct 2018
- Oral and poster presentations, “Comparison of HIV Drug-Resistant Mutant Detection by NGS with and without Unique Molecular Identifiers (UMI) at HIVDR Workshop, Johannesburg, South Africa, Oct 2018
- Poster presentation, “Frequent Discordance Between Etravirine Phenotype & Genotype in Subtype C ART Failure” at CROI, Seattle, WA, USA, Mar 2019
- Poster presentation, “Similar Risk of Resistance in Plasma and Genital Tract in Women who Seroconverted on PrEP in VOICE” at Inter-CFAR Women and HIV Symposium, Chicago, USA, Oct 2019
- Parikh et al., “Future technologies for monitoring HIV drug resistance and cure,” Current Opinion HIV/AIDS, Mar 2017
- Phillips et al.,“Cost-effectiveness of public-health policy options in the presence of pretreatment NNRTI drug resistance in sub-Saharan Africa: a modeling study,” Lancet HIV, Mar 2018
- Phillips et al., “Potential impact and cost-effectiveness of condomless-sex-concentrated PrEP in KwaZulu-Natal accounting for drug resistance,” The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Dec 2019
- McCormick, et al., “Discordance between Etravirine Phenotype and Genotype Based Predicted Phenotype for Subtype C HIV-1 from First Line Antiretroviral Therapy Failures in South Africa.” Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, May 2020
