About this fund
HIV and sickle cell disease are among the most prevalent and deadly diseases for children globally. This can be solved. We have an ambitious plan to end both diseases by creating a single-shot cure that is safe, effective, and affordable for all people, no matter where they live. The Gates Foundation will match 100% of your gift to this transformational program.
Focus areas
Gene therapy
Conducting cutting-edge research on editing blood stem cells so they can kill the virus—proving the concept on sickle cell disease and applying it to HIV.
©Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Clement Tardif
Therapeutic vaccines
Developing new therapeutic vaccines – harnessing recent innovations in mRNA and beyond – to train the immune system to wipe out HIV.
©Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Michael Kemp
Diagnostics
Identifying biomarkers to determine if HIV is still present in a patient and prove that cures are working.
©Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Eva-Lotta Jansson
Launch readiness
Ensuring communities have a voice in designing and accepting new treatments.
©Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation/Frederic Courbet
Bold projects require vision, partnership, and patience.
38M
people living with HIV worldwide
1.4M
new patients each year
65%
of people with HIV live in Africa
90%
of children in Africa with sickle cell disease will die before the age of five
