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November 29, 2023
He Was There When the HIV Epidemic Erupted. Now, at 87 He Sees Potential for a Cure.
With the 35th anniversary of World AIDS Day coming up on December 1, 87 year old Dr. Marcus Conant is in a hurry. He could be lying on a beach, or living out his dream of moving to Paris — but instead, this physician is commuting from NYC to Maryland every week to oversee a gene therapy clinical trial in hopes of curing HIV.
Dr. Marcus Conant.
Photo Credit: American Gene Technologies®
As a physician in early-1980s San Francisco, Conant started to see patients showing up with unexplained skin lesions — now known as Kaposi sarcoma — caused by a then-unknown disease. Those were some of the first cases of what became the HIV/AIDS epidemic. He lost 94% of his patients, some of whom were his friends, to the mysterious disease back then. Ever since, he’s been on a mission to help end the epidemic ever.
Today, as energetic and committed as ever, he sees what he believes is the light at the end of the tunnel — and he wants to live long enough to cure HIV. As allies around the globe rally to observe “World AIDS Day 35: Remember and Commit,” Dr. Conant is available to share powerful insights on the following topics:
- History of HIV on the Front Lines: The horror of the HIV epidemic’s early days eludes most people now. But Conant was there. He felt it. He saw it. Physicians like him were treating symptoms of a disease that had no name or classification. As death spread, so did the panic. Conant can share that unique perspective as well as the history and evolution of the disease, where we are today, and what he believes is needed to stop the epidemic and ultimately cure HIV.
- The HIV Epidemic Isn’t Over — But Two Populations Hold the Key: For those who think HIV is no longer a big deal because it’s not an automatic death sentence thanks to antiretroviral drugs — think again, says Conant. Yes, cases have been cut in half since the beginning. However, HIV remains an epidemic with serious consequences. And two main populations are contributing to the epidemic persisting: 1. People who don't know they have HIV (becausethey’re not getting tested), and 2. People who have HIV but refuse to take treatment. Conant can share his thoughts on how to reach those groups and halt the epidemic.
- Is a Cure Possible? Conant ardently believes so. He sees gene and cell therapy as the future of medicine and has been working with a Maryland firm on gene therapy research targeting HIV. As he looks to his 88th birthday, Conant is finally allowing himself to feel what he never felt 40 years ago: hope.
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW
Marcus A. Conant, M.D., is chief medical officer of Maryland-based American Gene Technologies®, and a clinical professor emeritus at the University of California Medical Center in San Francisco. More than a living legend, he is an articulate and passionate human being who has devoted his life to serving the LGBTQ+ community and working to end suffering from HIV/AIDS.
Media Contact:
Kathy Fowler
kathleen@onthemarcmedia.com
"Reproduced with permission - American Gene Technologies®"
American Gene Technologies®
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