STEPS 11: A Community Initiative to Design the Pathway to a Durable ART-Free Control of HIV Infection – Summary Report

The STEPS workshops, initiated in 2014 by Giulio Maria Corbelli and organised annually ahead of major European HIV scientific events, provide an opportunity to broaden the dialogue among community members, researchers, and other relevant stakeholders, such as peer educators, community journalists, advocates, industry partners, and healthcare professionals. The aim is to promote the sharing of knowledge, information, and experiences from diverse perspectives and to foster community engagement in research on HIV cure and related topics from the earliest phases of scientific development, ultimately working towards the goal of long-term, drug-free remission of HIV infection.

The 11^th STEPS HIV Cure Community-led Workshop was held on Wednesday, 15 October 2025, in Paris, France. Overall coordination of the workshop was led by Alain Volny Anne and Brian West. Owing to illness, the workshop was chaired on the day by Daniela Rojas Castro, in place of Brian West. The workshop discussed approaches for HIV cure research, provided updates on upcoming trials on therapeutic vaccination, and stressed the importance of the contributions of the community.

This report was prepared by Alain Volny Anne and provides an overview of key messages and discussions arising from the workshop.

Download the report 

Key Highlights

• Ongoing reconsent and long-term follow-up are becoming increasingly important components of ATI trials.
• The EU2Cure platform aims to connect post-treatment controllers who are interested in HIV cure research with investigators.
• A major complexity of HIV cure trials lies in the emotional and ethical challenge of communicating a positive HIV diagnosis while simultaneously proposing trial enrolment.
• Even when information is presented in a highly explicit and transparent manner, participants may still experience a degree of hope (of HIV control, without treatment), highlighting the need for tailored tools alongside oral communication.
• Frequencies of HTI-specific T-cells associated with improved viral control could inform the design of future HIV cure trials.
• In a context of diminishing political attention, tightening funding and increasing pressure on health systems, community participation is not merely desirable – it is essential.