The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) is a worldwide collaborative clinical trials network that brings together investigators, ethicists, community and other partners to develop and test the safety and efficacy of interventions designed to prevent the acquisition and transmission of HIV. HPTN studies evaluate new HIV prevention interventions and strategies in populations and geographical regions that bear a disproportionate burden of infection. The HPTN is committed to the highest ethical standards for its clinical trials and recognizes the importance of community engagement in all phases of the research process.

The HPTN was established in 2000, building on the work of the HIV Network for Prevention Trials (HIVNET). HPTN's Leadership and Operations Center (LOC) is based at FHI 360, Durham, NC."HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) Leadership and Operations Center" , FHI 360, Retrieved 1 November 2018. Its Laboratory Center (LC) is at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD and Statistical and Data Management Center (SDMC) is housed within the Statistical Center for HIV/AIDS Research and Prevention (SCHARP) at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle, Washington. The HPTN Modeling Centre, part of the SDMC, is a collaboration between the Department of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology at Imperial College London, UK, and SCHARP.

The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, Office of The Director, the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, all part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health, co-fund the HPTN.

Snapshot More than 80 trials ongoing or completed 172,000+ study participants enrolled and evaluated 50 active clinical research sites in 13 countries 880+ publications

Mission statement The HPTN is dedicated to the discovery and development of new and innovative research strategies to reduce the acquisition and transmission of HIV.

Leadership The HPTN leadership group is a subset of the Executive Committee (EC). The EC includes investigators from the Clinical Trials Units (CTUs), the Leadership and Operations Center (LOC), the Statistical and Data Management Center (SDMC), the Laboratory Center (LC), Community representatives, National Institutes of Health (NIH) representatives, and other individuals with expertise in HPTN scientific research areas.

The EC, under the direction of HPTN Principal Investigators (PIs) in conjunction with the NIH, sets the research priorities of the HPTN and directs its scientific agenda.

As of December 2025, Drs. Raphael Landovitz and Sinead Delany-Moretlwe lead the HPTN as co-principal investigators.

Network groups and committees The HPTN is a global network of investigators from Clinical Trials Units (CTUs), Leadership and Operations Center (LOC) which includes recognized experts in HIV prevention, leadership partners from the network Laboratory Center (LC) and Statistical and Data Management Center (SDMC) and various working groups (WGs) and committees charged with the scientific management and operational support of the network.

The EC Chair recommends, and the full EC approves, chair(s) and membership of the HPTN committees. Committee members serve for the duration of the cooperative agreement, and chairs serve three-year terms unless otherwise specified. Terms of committee chairs may be extended with the approval of the EC Chair. In addition to the scientific committees and working groups, there are four key standing Network oversight and operations committees: Science Review Committee (SRC), Study Monitoring Committee (SMC), Manuscript Review Committee (MRC), and Performance Evaluation Committee (PEC).

Research agenda The HPTN research agenda focuses on the following four priority areas:

Identifying novel antiretroviral (ARV)-based methods and delivery systems for HIV prevention Developing multi-purpose technologies for HIV prevention as well as for contraception and prevention of other sexually transmitted infections Evaluating broadly neutralizing antibodies alone or in a combination that prevent HIV acquisition, in collaboration with the HIV Vaccine Trials Network Designing and conducting population-specific integrated strategy studies that combine biomedical, socio-behavioral, and structural interventions for HIV prevention to maximize their effectiveness

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) strategies Antiviral Drugs HPTN 106 or "REV UP" is a phase II crossover study of on-demand pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) formulations comparing rectal and oral tenofovir-based PrEP evaluating extended safety, acceptability, and pharmacokinetics/pharma co-dynamics. PURPOSE 4/HPTN 103 is a phase II, open-label, multicenter, randomized clinical trial to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and acceptability of long-acting subcutaneous lenacapavir vs. daily oral emtricitabine/tenofovir disoproxil fumarate for pre-exposure prophylaxis among people who inject drugs. PURPOSE 3/HPTN 102 is a phase II, open-label, multicenter, randomized study to evaluate the pharmacokinetics, safety, and acceptability of twice-yearly long-acting subcutaneous lenacapavir for pre-exposure prophylaxis in cisgender women in the U.S. HPTN 084-01 (The LIFT Study) is a clinical trial examining whether injectable cabotegravir (CAB) for pre-exposure prophylaxis is safe and acceptable for adolescent females (assigned female at birth). HPTN 084 is a phase III study comparing the efficacy and safety of long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) to Truvada® for prevention of HIV acquisition in women in Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, South Africa, Swaziland, Uganda and Zimbabwe."Evaluating the Safety and Efficacy of Long-Acting Injectable Cabotegravir Compared to Daily Oral TDF/FTC for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in HIV-Uninfected Women", ClinicalTrials.gov, Retrieved 1 November 2018. Data from the HPTN 084 clinical trial indicate that a pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) regimen of long-acting cabotegravir (CAB LA) injections once every eight weeks was safe and superior to daily oral tenofovir/emtricitabine (FTC/TDF) for HIV prevention among cisgender women in sub-Saharan Africa. HPTN 083-02 is a clinical trial examining factors influencing adherence to injectable PrEP and retention in an injectable PrEP research study. HPTN 083-01 is a clinical trial examining whether injectable cabotegravir (CAB) for PrEP is safe and acceptable for adolescent males [assigned male at birth – including men who have sex with men (MSM), transgender women (TGW), and gender nonconforming people]. HPTN 083 is a phase IIb/III study comparing the efficacy and safety of long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB-LA) to Truvada® for prevention of HIV acquisition in cisgender MSM and transgender women who have sex with men in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, South Africa, Thailand, the United States and Vietnam."Safety and Efficacy Study of Injectable Cabotegravir Compared to Daily Oral Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate/Emtricitabine (TDF/FTC), For Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in HIV-Uninfected Cisgender Men and Transgender Women Who Have Sex With Men", ClinicalTrials.gov, Retrieved 1 November 2018. Data from the HPTN 083 clinical trial showed that a pre-exposure prophylaxis regimen containing long-acting cabotegravir (CAB LA) injected once every eight weeks was superior to daily oral tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) for HIV prevention among cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men. HPTN 082 was a phase IV sub-Saharan-based research study designed to assess the number of and characteristics of young women who accept versus decline pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) at enrollment. The study compared adherence to PrEP between women who are randomized to receive standard adherence support and those receiving enhanced adherence support."Uptake and Adherence to Daily Oral PrEP as a Primary Prevention Strategy for Young African Women: A Vanguard Study", ClinicalTrials.gov, Retrieved 1 November 2018. HPTN 082 data show pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) use was high but waned after three months among the young African women enrolled in the study. HPTN 077 was a phase IIa study helping determine whether injectable cabotegravir could be used for PrEP in people at greater risk of acquiring HIV."Evaluating the Safety, Tolerability, and Pharmacokinetics of an Investigational, Injectable HIV Medicine (GSK1265744) in HIV-Uninfected Adults", ClinicalTrials.gov, Retrieved 1 November 2018. The study showed that cabotegravir was safe and well-tolerated. HPTN 076 was a phase II study designed to find out if a new form of the drug rilpivirine is safe and acceptable for use as HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)."Phase II Safety and Acceptability of an Investigational Injectable Product, TMC278LA, for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (TMC278LA)", ClinicalTrials.gov, Retrieved 1 November 2018. Study findings demonstrated long-acting rilpivirine is safe. Overall there was no difference in the number and type of side effects (adverse events) between the study group receiving long-acting rilpivirine and the study group receiving placebo. HPTN 073 was a phase IV demonstration study see if Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) are willing to use Truvada®, a daily pill for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)."HPTN 073 Black Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)", ClinicalTrials.gov, Retrieved 1 November 2018. Study findings, based on participant self-report, showed high uptake of PrEP for prevention of HIV infection among BMSM in the U.S. with the use of a novel coordinated counseling and care approach resulting in findings suggestive of a lower rate of HIV infection. HPTN 069/ACTG 5305 was a phase II study designed to learn more about the safety and acceptability of oral maraviroc in at-risk HIV uninfected men who have sex with men (MSM) and in at-risk HIV uninfected women."Evaluating the Safety and Tolerability of Antiretroviral Drug Regimens Used as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis to Prevent HIV Infection in At-Risk Men Who Have Sex With Men and in At-Risk Women", ClinicalTrials.gov, Retrieved 1 November 2018. HPTN 052 was a phase III landmark study proving viral suppression through antiretroviral therapy can prevent HIV transmission. Based on the study's findings, the World Health Organization recommended antiretroviral treatment be offered to all people living with HIVregardless of CD4 count."Groundbreaking Trial Results Confirm HIV Treatment Prevents Transmission of HIV", World Health Organization, Retrieved 1 November 2018. Science named this study the 2011 "Breakthrough of the Year".

Data from HPTN 083 and HPTN 084 helped provide important information for the December 20, 2021 decision by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve ViiV Healthcare's long-acting cabotegravir (CAB-LA) injections for the prevention of HIV. Sponsored and co-funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), these studies showed that CAB-LA injected once every eight weeks was superior to daily oral tenofovir/emtricitabine (TDF/FTC) for HIV prevention among cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men (HPTN 083) and cisgender women (HPTN 084). Both studies also demonstrated that CAB-LA was well-tolerated, offering a new and important pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) option for individuals at risk for HIV infection. ViiV Healthcare will market CAB-LA for PrEP under the brand name Apretude.

Monoclonal Antibodies

The HPTN and the HIV Vaccine Trials Network (HVTN) are studying monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that may protect people from HIV infection. These studies will guide the development of new ways to prevent HIV. They will also guide future vaccine development that could help to end HIV.