IDWeek 2017 Preview: Sessions You Should Not Miss

IDWeek 2017™, the annual meeting of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA), the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA), the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA), and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society (PIDS), is set to take place from Wednesday, October 4 through Sunday, October 8, 2017, in San Diego, California. With the theme “Advancing Science, Improving Care,” IDWeek 2017 will feature the latest in prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and epidemiology of infectious diseases, including HIV, across the lifespan.

Numerous late breaker abstract presentations are planned for the meeting. In light of the Hepatitis A outbreak in San Diego, which has resulted in the deaths of 17 people to date,¹ IDWeek will feature a late breaker session on Wednesday, October 4 that will include an update from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that addresses this health emergency.

Gail Bolan, MD, director of the CDC’s Division of STD Prevention, will give an overview of the epidemiology featured in the Sexually Transmitted Disease Surveillance Report,² along with Khalil G. Ghanem, MD, PhD, of Johns Hopkins, who will discuss advances in the management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). “The poster session on Saturday midday has some important work, including limited knowledge about STDs among primary care providers, high rates of incident syphilis in HIV care populations, and high rates of STIs among people taking PrEP,” noted Jeanne M. Marrazzo, MD, IDWeek Vice-Chair, HIVMA, from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, in an email interview with Infectious Disease Advisor.

Findings from some of the phase 3 studies “not to be missed” by attendees include a session titled “New Antibiotics: What’s in the Pipeline,” said David R. Andes, MD, IDWeek Chair, IDSA, from the University of Wisconsin Hospital at Madison. “The session details 10 new antibiotics that have completed phase 3 studies…very likely the largest collection of new antibiotic phase 3 [data] ever presented at a meeting,” stated Dr Andes.

“In terms of HIV trials, the bictegravir trial and the EMERALD trial of darunavir/cobicistat/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide are 2 important late-breaking phase 3 studies that should not be missed. The latter combination was submitted to the FDA last week.³ Bictegravir/emtricitabine/tenofovir alafenamide was submitted to the FDA earlier this year,”⁴ continued Rajesh T. Gandhi, MD, IDWeek Chair, HIVMA, from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Also, Melinta Therapeutics will be presenting detailed analyses from delafloxacin phase 3 acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections trials and in vitro findings characterizing delafloxacin’s activity against pathogens associated with community-acquired respiratory tract infections.

A large portion of the program will cover both antibiotic resistance and stewardship. Stewardship content kicks off Thursday morning with a lively debate on current controversies. Several sessions “will focus on specific settings (non-acute care and pediatrics), there will also be a session on challenging patient populations in such settings as the ICU and oncology,” highlighted Hilary M. Babcock, MD, IDWeek Chair, SHEA, from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

Stay with Infectious Disease Advisor for live coverage from IDWeek 2017 beginning on October 5, 2017.

References

1. Philips J. Update: 17 dead, 461 sickened in San Diego hepatitis A outbreak [news release]. The Epoch Times. Published September 28, 2017. Accessed September 29, 2017.
2. STDs at record high, indicating urgent need for prevention [press release]. Atlanta, Georgia: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Published September 26, 2017. Accessed September 29, 2017.
3. Janssen submits new drug application to U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the first darunavir-based single tablet regimen for the treatment of HIV-1 [news release]. Titusville, NJ: PRNewswire. Published September 25, 2017. Accessed October 2, 2017.
4. Gilead announces U.S. FDA priority review designation for fixed-dose combination of bictegravir, emtricitabine and tenofovir alafenamide for treatment of HIV [press release]. Foster City, CA: Gilead Sciences, Inc. Published September 25, 2017. Accessed October 2, 2017.